The second emergency session of the Somali Regional [State's parliamentary] council has elected provisional executive committee members. The provisional executive committee members elected today [12th October], will hold office until a body is elected by the people.
Mr Id Tahir Farah, the former head of the regional administration, has urged the council to work alongside and support the new provisional [executive] committee. Our reporter, Eshetu Geletu, who is following the session, has telephoned the details from Jijiga [capital city of the Somali regional state]:
[Eshetu] The Ethiopian Somali regional administration has been without a government for about two days since 30th Meskerem [Ethiopian calendar, 10th October].
Mr Berhanu Jembere, the head of regional affairs at the prime minister's office, has said that this administrative crisis is very worrying. In these two days, Mr Berhanu said, although it is very difficult to quantify the damage incurred with regard to security, everyone was agreed that the situation was worrying. It is for the sake of preserving security in the region that it was necessary to elect provisional executive committee members for a three month period until the next regular session [of parliament] is called and elections are held in accordance with the constitution.
In the emergency session, 21 new provisional executive committee members were elected this afternoon to replace the 21 members sacked earlier. We understand that the election for provisional leadership was carried out in the emergency session of the Somali regional council, which is now running into its third day, in a manner that enabled representatives of all zones in the region to be represented.
Mr Muhammad Ma'alim Ali was elected chairman of the provisional executive committee; Mr Riyale Hamud vice-chairman; and Mr Sultan Ibrahim Husayn secretary. Another 18 executive committee members were also elected [words indistinct]. Those elected were nominated by the parliament and not by their parties... Mr Muhammad Maalim Ali, the chairman, is the secretary of the Ogaden National Liberation Front, and Riyale Hamud, the vice-chairman, and Sultan Ibrahim Husayn are members of the Ethiopian Somali Democratic League.
Source: Radio Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, in Amharic 1700 gmt 12 Oct