Hawaadle clan elders and community leaders in Beledweyne have announced restrictions on the use of airports in Hiiraan by officials affiliated with Hirshabelle State until longstanding grievances over the administration are addressed.
Speaking to the media in Beledweyne on Tuesday, the elders said their position was not intended as opposition to the Somali government or the Somali state, but was driven by what they described as longstanding concerns over the governance of Hirshabelle and Hiiraan’s political representation within the state administration.
“We are not against the government, we do not want to wrong anyone, and we do not want to be wronged. What is happening in Hirshabelle cannot come through this airport,” the elders said.
They said airports in Hiiraan would remain open to civilians and regular commercial flights but would restrict aircraft and delegations associated with Hirshabelle State.
They specifically warned against the arrival of military aircraft and Hirshabelle-linked delegations at Beledweyne Airport, saying such moves could trigger further tensions unless their grievances are addressed through dialogue.
Abdi Mumin Guled, one of the Hawaadle elders, said residents of Hiiraan have the right to determine their political interests and discuss the region’s future governance arrangements.
Guled called for the grievances to be addressed through dialogue and negotiations, criticizing both previous and current Hirshabelle administrations.
He said the Hawaadle community was dissatisfied with the political power-sharing arrangements within Hirshabelle.
“We have grievances, serious grievances. We have grievances with the Federal Government and with Hirshabelle. We have grievances as Somalis. We are asking Somalis to talk to us and address the rights we believe have been denied to us,” Guled said.
The elders also warned against holding indirect elections or bringing ballot boxes into Hiiraan before a political agreement is reached on the issues they have raised.
They stressed that their position was not aimed at opposing the public or the government, but at seeking discussions on political rights, representation and what they described as Hiiraan’s share within Hirshabelle’s political structure.
The statement comes amid ongoing political debates in Hiiraan over Hirshabelle’s administration, political power-sharing and the region’s future political arrangements.
The Hawaadle elders said a lasting solution could only be achieved through dialogue and mutual understanding, calling on all relevant parties to return to negotiations and address grievances they said had remained unresolved for years.