News

Doubt over democratic values in Somaliland

afrol News, 15 October - Somaliland has stood out as an example of democracy and human rights in Africa's Horn,

but recent attacks on the free press, banning of public meetings and the alleged use of torture have cast doubts

over this image. Somaliland opposition leader Faisal Ali Waraabe told afrol News his party wants to defend

democracy and human rights but defended government attacks on the press to "preserve unity".

The most horrifying story regarding Somaliland's diminishing human rights record yet has to make headlines

in the country. A 17-year-old Somali girl, according to local human rights groups, was detained one month ago as she approached the Vice-President's house in eastern Somaliland. Put to jail in the region, she was allegedly

"raped and tortured for 25 days," according to reports from Somaliland's Awdalnews Network.

Awdalnews editor Bashir Goth - a devoted defender of Somaliland - told afrol News this was "a shocking story" that "Somaliland media decided to keep under wraps." The editor nevertheless had opted to publish it yesterday.

Mr Goth and other Somalilander independent editors are under great pressure not to publish headlines that could

hamper national unity and the image of the non-recognised country in these difficult times. After all, a new united

Somalia may soon stand up against Somaliland and claim sovereignty over the former British colony that unilaterally

dissolved the union with former Italian Somalia in 1991.

Chief editor Hassan Said Yusuf of Somaliland's leading independent newspaper, 'Jamhuuriya', in September was

detained for the 15th time by Hargeisa police over an article by his Kenya correspondent, saying the Somaliland

government's position regarding the Somali Peace Conference was "soft". The government held 'Jamhuuriya' was

"inciting people against the government" and threatening national unity. Mr Yusuf was acquitted on 3 October.

Editor Yusuf alleged the police action against him had been "extremely heavy-handed and violent." Members of the

police force that brought him to court had "stopped him in the middle of the dry-bed river and threatened him saying,

'We can cut your throat and leave you here'," he said.

One of Somaliland's main opposition parties, Kulmiye, is strongly protesting what it sees as anti-democratic tendencies in Somaliland. According to a statement issues by Kulmiye last month, "it has become the usual trend to take steps towards dictatorship and the destruction of democracy, instead of selling our achievements to the international community." The party refers to Somaliland's efforts to sell its democratic gains to achieve recognition of its independence.

Somaliland's other main opposition party, the Justice and Welfare Party (JWP), however does not share these concerns

over the situation of democracy and human rights in the country. JWP leader Waraabe told afrol News this week that he

was still proud of representing Somaliland as "one of the most democratic countries with the freest press in Africa."

Mr Waraabe however warned that "we need to be a patriotic people," and that the press needed to remember this.

According to the opposition leader, Somaliland's media "are not sufficiently trained," thus not being able to "differentiate

between criticism against the government and causing damage to the country." Asked what he considered as "harmful to

national interests," Mr Waraabe mentioned press reporting over corruption scandals "on an exaggerated level," which he

alleged were meant to cause harm on a politician's image.

- We need not to compromise our national interest because of press freedom, Mr Waraabe told afrol News, adding:

"We need a positive, not a negative freedom." The JWP leader advocated for a national press code to regulate what the

media could write and what they could not write, taking national interests in consideration. He however emphasised that

his party was "against the arrests of journalists or any ban of discussions."

Asked on the Kulmiye party's claim that democracy has weakened under current President Dahir Riyale Kahin's regime,

Mr Waraabe said the President was upholding very democratic standards. After the despotic regime of Somali military

dictator Siad Barre, before 1991, Somalilanders would "not accept limitations to their freedom," the JWP leader said.

- We cannot say President Riyale is stricter than [Somaliland's deceased founding President Muhammad Ibrahim] Egal,

Mr Waraabe said, emphasising that he was impressed by the attack from the press President Riyale had sustained without reacting. "I would become even stricter if I was elected President and I would not tolerate what Riyale tolerates," Mr Waraabe told afrol News.

Somaliland repulses attack from Somalia's Puntland

Awdal News Network / afrol News, 23 September - The government of the self-declared republic of Somaliland today said

that it had repulsed an attack by militia of Somalia's autonomous Puntland region. At the attack on a Somaliland patrol unit of its frontline army, no casualties were reported on Somaliland side, while Puntland militias' casualties were reported to include one dead and two wounded.

In a telephone interview with 'Awdalnews Network', Somaliland's Interior Minister Ismail Adam Osman described the attack as a planned attempt by Puntland leader Abdillahi Yusuf to create a war situation in the area as an "obvious cover-up" for his failure to secure support for his quest for Somalia's Presidency at the ongoing talks of Somali warring factions in Nairobi.

The Somaliland Minister said "Majeerteenia" (Puntland) forces attacked a small patrol unit of the Somaliland army at Adhi Addeeye village, 18-20 kilometres from Las Anod, the regional capital of the drought-struck Sool region.

Parts of the Sool region are disputed between Somaliland and Puntland. While Somaliland refers to the internationally recognised pre-1960 border between British Somaliland and Italian Somalia, the Puntland leader refers to clan loyalties between him and the Sool population. The Sool region currently is suffering from a grave drought, threatening to develop into a famine.

Regarding the military attack, Minister Osman told 'Awdalnews' that reinforcements had "immediately" been sent from Somaliland garrison stationed between Yagoori and Adhi Adeeye and "Majeerteenia militias" were routed and pushed towards Boholaha Xargagan, less then 15 kilometres from Las Anod.

Mr Osman further said that there were no casualties among Somaliland forces, while the Puntland militias suffered one dead, two wounded, one arrested and one "technical" battlewagon destroyed and another damaged.

Describing the situation as tense, Minister Osman said that he expected Puntland militias to attack again. "But if they do they should know that Somaliland forces will not stop until they reach the internationally recognised borders of our country."

Reiterating Somaliland's firm position of avoiding any military conflicts and war with neighbouring countries, Mr Osman added that "the whole world knows" that Somaliland had the military might and the will to retake its territory from "Majeerteenia" but had reined in its forces for one year to give a chance to peace and to avoid bloodshed.

- But, now we tell the African countries and the international community that we have been attacked and we are ready to defeat the enemy and secure our borders, the Somaliland Minister said. "It is our right and duty to safeguard our territorial integrity and our sovereignty," he added.

Mr Osman further added that Somaliland forces had stopped short of retaking Las Anod yesterday to avoid putting civilians in a harm's way. "Abdillahi Yusuf cannot claim parts of another country just because he shares blood ties with some of the citizens. Somaliland has internationally recognised borders and every country in the world has a right to defend its borders," he said, reiterating that the people of Las Anod were citizens of Somaliland who were loyal to their country and its sovereignty.

Somaliland, which unilaterally reclaimed its independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991, but not recognised by anyone, was locked in a territorial dispute with Puntland over the east of Sanaag and most of the Sool regions which are home to sub-clans which together with the Majeerteen of Puntland belong to the Darod Harti clan.

Somaliland, however, insists on its "legitimate right" to safeguard its colonial and international recognised borders, which included the eastern Sanaag and the whole of the Sool region.

Somaliland editor freed; paper deplores repression

afrol News, 8 September - Chief editor Hassan Said Yusuf of Somaliland's leading independent newspaper, 'Jamhuuriya', yesterday was released on bail despite his protests. Meanwhile, 'Jamhuuriya' editors express concern over the "repressive tendencies" that mark the regime of democratically elected President Dahir Riyale Kahin. Many see Somaliland slipping into repression.

'Jamhuuriya' correspondent in Oslo, Ahmed Awed Ismail, told afrol News that his newspaper's chief editor,

Mr Yusuf, had been released on bail by Hargeisa police. Mr Yusuf had protested the decision and demanded an unconditional release as charges against him were "unconstitutional".

New information released by 'Jamhuuriya' about the midnight arrest of Mr Yusuf from his office also holds that the

police action was "extremely heavy-handed and violent." Members of the police force that brought him to court had "stopped

him in the middle of the dry-bed river and threatened him saying, 'We can cut your throat and leave you here'," according

to the daily newspaper.

Somaliland authorities cited a first-page article on 'Jamhuuriya' some days earlier as the reason for Mr Yusuf's arrest,

claiming that the article was not balanced. Quoting a Somali freelance journalist in Nairobi, 'Jamhuuriya' had published an interview with some of the warlords that are attending the Somali Peace Conference, where Somaliland refuses to participate

due to its secession from Somalia.

In the published interview, Hussein Aideed - one of the warlords from Mogadishu - is quoted to be worrying about the Somaliland opposition party's hard stand towards the yet-to-be-established Somali government. The same is reported

to have been said by Abdillahi Yusuf, the strongman of Somalia's autonomous region Puntland. The two faction leaders

are said to be especially worrying about the tough stand of Kulmiye's Chairman, Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud's, leading Somaliland's main opposition party.

According to the interview published in 'Jamhuuriya', these two Somali warlords said that the Somaliland government's

position regarding the Somali Peace Conference is soft; meaning they are in favour and cooperative. It is the Kulmiye

opposition they fear, the freelance journalist in Nairobi reported. Puntland leader Yusuf goes as far as saying that Somaliland's stand will ultimately depend on the decisions of Mr Mohamoud and his Kulmiye party.

Somaliland's Interior Minister Ismail Adan earlier this week confirmed to afrol News that the 'Jamhuuriya' editor indeed

had been arrested over this report, further indicating that the arrest orders had come from government. The Somaliland government had considered the story as "inciting people against the government," he said, further commenting the story

was all "a blatant lie and the truth is quite the opposite."

As Mr Yusuf is now freed on bail, 'Jamhuuriya' and many Somlilanders are concerned about the "repressive tendencies" the regime of President Kahin has been developing ever since he was democratically elected by the general public on April

last year. Mr Yusuf, for example, has now been arrested 15 times by Hargeisa police. The government is not only

attacking the press, but also other democratic institutions.

- Earlier in July this year, public meetings by the opposition parties and the civil society have been outlawed, the Oslo representative of 'Jamhuuriya' told afrol News. "The press and speech freedom are increasingly being curbed and controlled.

The government is particularly itchy about the Nairobi meetings, allegedly because some elements in the Somaliland government have clandestine contacts with the Southern Somali warlords in Nairobi," Mr Ismail adds.

Also the Hargeisa police is becoming increasing heavy-handed and violent, the 'Jamhuuriya' correspondent said. "The mid-night operation of the police is well-known terror inflicting tactics which the present regime inherited from the despot Siyad Barre,

who drove Somalia to the gutter after some 30 years of dictatorial rule."

The concerns of the 'Jamhuuriya' editorial team are shared by wide parts of the Somaliland society, including government representatives. Hargeisa officials afrol News have been in contact with regret the "negative tendencies threatening

democracy in Somaliland" and wish to remain anonymous.

The Kulmiye opposition party however clearly protests these developments. "After the presidential election, it has become

the usual trend to take steps towards dictatorship and the destruction of democracy, instead of selling our achievement

s to the international community," the party said in a statement released earlier this week, referring to Somaliland's

efforts to sell its democratic gains to achieve recognition of its independence.

'Jamhuuriya' also quotes strong statements from all parts of civil society condemning the arrest of Mr Yusuf in a recently published article. The Somaliland Journalists Association saw the arrest as "undemocratic and a violation of the individual

right." The National Human Rights Network said it had observed that rights violation had been on the increase for the last six months and warned that if such practice continues, "it will be doubtful that fair elections will be held next year."

Next year's parliamentary elections are meant to finalise the establishment of democratic institutions in Somaliland.

The yet-to-be-recognised country hopes that its peace, stability, democracy and respect of human rights will lead to recognition by the international society. Many fear that the Hargeisa government is increasingly running out of such arguments, however.

Grave attack on press freedom in Somaliland

afrol News, 3 September - With the arrest of the editor of Somaliland's leading independent newspaper, 'Jamhuuriya',

there are growing concerns over the future of press freedom in the young and unrecognised republic. Editor Hassan Said Yusuf allegedly was arrested because his newspaper recently published information accusing the government of considering participating in the Somali peace talks.

Somaliland is struggling to demonstrate to the world that the country should be recognised as an independent state,

referring to its peace, stability, democracy and press freedom. Therefore, Somaliland doesn't participate in the Somali

conference in Nairobi, claiming the "South" (Somalia except Somaliland) will have to find its peace on its own.

Both these bases of Somaliland's policies have been given a major blow this week. An article by Somaliland's leading independent daily, 'Jamhuuriya', claims to document that the government indeed is considering participating in the Somali

peace talks. According to sources interviewed by 'Jamhuuriya', the Somaliland government of President Dahir Riyale Kahin favours such participation, while the Kulmiye opposition party is strongly against it.

One day after the critical article was published in 'Jamhuuriya', the daily's editor, Mr Yusuf, was arrested at his office in Somaliland's capital, Hargeisa, by police officers armed with a warrant. Mr Yusuf is still in arrest, but it is unclear whether

he has been formally charged.

On behalf of afrol News and Somaliland's Awdal News, editor Bashir Goth today contacted Somaliland's Interior Minister

Ismail Adan. Minister Adan told Mr Goth that the 'Jamhuuriya' editor indeed had been arrested by Somaliland's Attorney General for reporting on alleged differences between the government and the Kulmiye opposition party regarding Somalia's peace talks.

- This is a blatant lie and the truth is quite the opposite, Minister Adan said, referring to the 'Jamhuuriya' report. "It is the Somaliland government that adamantly and vehemently rejects to have anything to do with Somalia and the participants of the Nairobi conference," the Minister added. The government had considered the editor's story as "inciting people against the government," editor Goth was told by Minister Adan.

Mr Goth, who is editor of the Somaliland online media 'Awdal News', today also issued a press release where he "condemns

the arrest and continued detention" of his colleague in 'Jamhuuriya'. "As a country aspiring to gain international recognition for its hard won independence and its stunning record in building and maintaining peace and stability through the principles of democracy, freedom of expression and the ballot box, it is unbecoming and rather insulting to Somaliland citizens to be affronted, provoked and ridiculed for exercising their civic and legitimate rights of freedom of speech," said 'Awdal News'.

Mr Goth represents the many Somaliland media fearing a more repressive press freedom situation in the young republic.

In fact, the tendencies have been negative for quite a while. The 'Jamhuuriya' editor is, according to the Paris-based media watchdogs Reporters sans Frontières (RSF), arrested for the 15th time by Somaliland police. Protests are streaming in from the Somalilander Diaspora against President Riyale's attempt to "'crush press freedom in Somaliland."

All agree that attacks on press freedom in Somaliland only can hurt the country - in a double way. The Somalilanders are depending on a free an outspoken press to secure their young democracy and spirit of voluntary work to develop the country. The government further needs to maintain its democratic and pluralistic image abroad to have any possibility of being recognised by the international community.

Somaliland now counts on four universities

afrol News, 20 August - With the opening of the Burao University, the unrecognised and self-sustained

Republic of Somaliland now counts on four universities. This exceptional density of educational centres has

been made possible by bold government policies and the financial support of many Somalilander exiles.

Seven years ago, the Amoud High School in Borama, west of Somaliland's capital Hargeisa, was turned into

the country's first university. Sixty students were admitted to the Amoud University in the summer of 1997

and most of them graduated four years later. These first Somaliland graduates already play an important part in the

country's administration, in addition to the many well educated returned exiles that were educated abroad.

This summer, Somaliland authorities were able to open the country's fourth university, the Burao University.

Meanwhile, the Hargeisa University is graduating its first-ever students. Berbera University - located in Somaliland's

second city and important port - is next in line to host its fist graduation ceremonies.

For the town of Burao, the establishment of a university is especially important. The administrative centre of the

Togdheer province in central Somaliland is located where the periphery of the country starts and has for years

been in need of reconstruction after warfare in the early 1990s.

The Burao University nevertheless takes up the heritance from a technical institute that was constructed with

German state aid but left in ruins by earlier hostilities. Consequently, the town's new university plans to

specialise on engineering and technical studies. Somalilanders hope to catch the interest of German

authorities in securing funds for the Burao University as a manner of continuity.

Funds so far have, however, not come from abroad. Somalilanders clearly take pride in their successes in building

their nation without significant foreign aid. "The people of Somaliland have shown to the international community

and the wider world that they do not require UN aid or IMF loans in order to rebuild their country from scratch,

" a fundraising document of the important Diaspora organisation Somaliland Forum proudly notes.

The Somaliland Diaspora has plaid an important part in financing the country's four universities and in raising funds

to reconstruct Burao. Former graduates of the old Technical Institute of Burao have been among the many

contributing with private assets.

While Somaliland has made great efforts in building a national educational grid in record time, there are concerns

over the sustainability of the new investments. The Hargeisa government, as it is not recognised as by the international

community, has very limited revenues and trade links are instable.

Voices in the country thus urge the four universities to cooperate in delivering educational services to Somalilanders

instead of competing. Noah Arre recently told the Somalilander independent media Awdal News that "considering

our limited resources," Somaliland's universities needed to specialise in "different fields of studies" instead of competing.

Already, the Amoud University is specialising in medicine, education, business administration, agriculture and environment studies. Hargeisa University seems to head off to a specialisation in political and humanistic studies, while Berbera

University has greater competence in geo-sciences and ecology. Burao is set to go for technology and engineering.