The Deterioration Of Human Rights Conditions In Somaliland

By
Ahmed A. Hassan

Encinitas , California

Oct. 23, 2004

One of the most horrific stories that have come out of Somaliland has yet to receive a meaningful coverage in the Somaliland media. According to local human rights organizations and a recent article by Mr. Farah Ali Jama, a 17-year old girl by the name of Samsam Ahmed Duale from Bosaaso, Puntland was jailed around mid August of this year when she approached the vice presidents house in Hargeysa, the capital city. She was jailed and allegedly suffered rape and torture for over a month at the hands of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the vice presidential guards. It was reported that she received no medical treatment for the injuries she sustained during the torture, rape and beating. The young girl and her driver were eventually charged of spying and trying to hurt the Vice President. This is laughable to say the least. What is there that such a young girl can spy and report back to Puntland? On the design of his Excellency's house? Otherwise, Somaliland has neither weapons of mass distruction nor a secret to be so well guarded to cause such harm to the innocent young women who unintentionally found herself knocking on the wrong door.

Or, as Maxamud Axmed Maxamed “Gubadle” claimed, the rape, torture and beating that Samsam was subjected to was a window to the level of clanish hate harbored by some individuals and associated authority in Somaliland . Mr. Gubadle himself claims that he faced extra judicial arrest and hate-laden words and insults by none other than the commander of the police forces of Somaliland . The mistreatment and abuse by the police is further confirmed by Axmed Dirir, a member of the Upper House (Golaha Guurtida) and Chair of the Social Affairs Committee and other detainees (representatives of the Human Rights Organizations) who were arrested when they went to attend the first court hearing of the case against Samsam. These arbitrary arrests and other abuses of human rights organization is contrary to international law and the government must end this culture of impunity before human rights conditions decline further.

If the sources of Samsam's saga and the humiliation that Mr. Axmed Dirir, Ibrahim X. Muse (SAMATALIS), Siciid Axmed Maxamud (Academy of Peace & Development) Attorney Ibrahim Jaamac Cali (Prof. of Law @ Hargeysa University) and Mr. Gubdale faced in the hands of Hargeysa's CID are not properly located and addressed, one can therefore argue that Somaliland is tolerant to a culture of torture, hate, and human rights violations.

The Somaliland press failed to cover this shocking story. In fact one of the editors of the Somaliland websites admitted publicly that they have decided to keep this story under wraps. This is bizarre and shocking. It is a colossal failure on the part of the independent press. It is also an indication that most of the so-called press in Somaliland does not adhere to the elementary requirements of press ethics.
Worst of all the flimsy accusation of the government still stands unchallenged by the media, the opposition parties and by the public at large.
It seems that the Somaliland media are more concerned over the effect that such a story would have on the image of Somaliland than the gravity of the abuse. And if it were not for the courageous efforts of some individuals and members of the civil liberty and human rights organizations who rightly were suspicious of the government's charge against this teen-ager from the beginning, this story would have stayed buried.
This current government of Somaliland has been widely known for its disregard for the rule of law and the culture and values of democracy. The alleged direct involvement of state security forces in the rape and abuse of this little girl is a new worrisome trend in the continuous decline of the conditions of human rights in Somaliland . Not only have the police and the CID failed to protect people from human rights abuses, but they are now carrying out abuses themselves.

In addition, recent edicts from the infamous Minister of Interior, Mr. Ismail A. Osman, have drastically curtailed citizen's rights of freedom of expression, assembly and association. Since those edicts were released, some NGOs and civil rights organizations have found it more and more difficult to operate and do meaningful contributions to the political discourse of the nation. The government banned from the opposition political parties the right to organize gatherings on the Khayriah public squares. For some strange reason this government believes that the Civil Societies have no role in participating in or shaping the policies and politics of Somaliland . A case in point is the withdrawal of the license of Dr. Bulhan's NGO. Other organizations have been systematically harassed and banned from organizing public meetings too.
.
The detrimental effects of constraints placed upon political and civil rights groups by the unconstitutional edicts from the office of the president and his ministers are compounded by the irregular, selective and excessive enforcement. Tactics used by the police include the arrest of journalists, civil rights activists on criminal charges without credible evidence. For example, at the end of August the police arrested the chief editor of Jamhuriya Mr. Xasan Siciid Yuusuf over an article by a freelance journalist in Kenya . The article accused the government of taking a soft position on the Kenya sponsored Somali peace conference vis-à-vis the position of the opposition parties. It was later reported that Mr. Yuusuf was mistreated and threatened with death by the CID officers. Mr. Yuusuf was charged with publishing false information and inciting the public. These charges were both later thrown out of court by a judge. This perhaps can be attributed to the international attention that the arrest of the editor has attracted.

The actions of this current government are weakening the democratic values and the constitution of the state and not good for any body. The Somaliland authorities have committed politically motivated violence. In the case of this young girl the government has employed a wide range of techniques to cover up the story of this atrocity. It has politically manipulated the police, undermined the judicial system by eroding the independence of the judiciary and thus circumventing its effectiveness. It also has prevented human rights defenders from investigating and publishing accounts of human rights violations.

The government has failed to adhere to the constitution and protect human rights and freedom of speech. It has enlisted state institutions to beat, and harass those perceived to be critical of the government. The government must revoke the edicts issued by the minister of interior and others and must cease issuing further extra constitutional circulars.

We urge the opposition parties, the civil liberty and human rights organizations to continue to insist upon the immediate reintroduction of the rule of law and the cessation of the issue of arbitrary arrest and detention as well as beating and other forms of torture, and inhuman treatment. These recommendations will require greater tolerance, transparency and accountability in government policy-making and the arrest and trial of those responsible for human rights violations.

Ahmed A. Hassan

E-mail:ahmedh1@sbcglobal.net

Copyright © 2005 Wardheernews.com