To Whom It May Concern
To Whom It May Concern:
SIRAG and Somaliland Overseas two organisations that campaign for the recognition, human rights and development of Somaliland are concerned about how the Somaliland’s government recently turned a blind eye to democracy and recognition by gagging Somaliland’s constitution, Freedom of Speech and Association, violations of International laws, human rights laws and sabotaging Somaliland’s human rights. Recently the president of Somaliland put forward a new draconian press law which if enacted would cripple Somaliland’s nascent press freedoms in a country known for its ability for the citizens to be able to freely express themselves.
We are also concerned about the following critical issues related to Somaliland’s Elections which if not addressed could hamper Somaliland’s democracy and recognition:
i) Though the leaders of Qaran Political Association Prisoners have been released, they have not been allowed to participate and exercise their constitutional, political rights and their rights granted under the Universal Declaration of Human rights . The government is attempting to keep them from participating in the next elections and warning them to abide to this odious rule or they may be re- arrested and put back in jail. Such culture is alien to the people of Somaliland who are freedom loving people and are not used to being gagged and their freedom taken away while also misleading the international community about the conditional release of the Qaran leaders. Please visit the blog (http://somaliland28july2007.blogspot.com ) to see how many organisations, politicians, political parties and prominent people from Europe, US, UK and so on who campaigned to support the rights of the Qaran politicians and their political association.
ii) The government has setup a Human rights Commission which is not independent to give an example the fact that SHURO-NET has been taken over illegally with the backup of the government itself shows that Somaliland’s human rights need to be rescued. For the government to demonstrate that they are respecting human rights they must first allow the legitimate committee of SHURO-NET to exercise their powers and reinstate their right to run their office. Their office has been closed in broad day light and their staff including the executive forced to hand over the key and the office. Another factor that needs to be addressed is that the government is using an illegal security committee which is unconstitutional and imprisoning people without any trials, completely outside of the judicial system. Most of the recent imprisoning has been executed by this committee. This committee should have been abolished long time. The parliament of Somaliland also opposed this illegal committee. Many organisations including Somaliland Forum, Somaliland Lawyers, Diaspora organizations have all campaigned against this committee which has jailed Haatuf journalists and Qaran Politicians to name a few who have been imprisoned by this draconian system lately.
iii) Elections must commence on time.
iv) Somaliland must have an independent judiciary and the government must take part in setting up this independent judiciary system so that Somaliland citizens confidence in the system is maintained. At present this administration has too much power over the judiciary and as a result of this the parliament of Somaliland can not exercise its constitutional duties. This puts them in a difficult situation especially as all their decisions are turned down by the Guurti (the upper house of the parliament) who are not elected by the people (this is the same body that with the help of the president extended its term for another four years). The last few years the Guurti has been under the influence of this president’s influence and as a result the democracy in Somaliland has suffered. The Guurti and the Somaliland President Dahir Riyale Kahin have somehow joined hands to block any progress from the parliament that does not favour the president’s position in all matters. This has caused a lot of animosity and rancour between the parliament and the Guurti (The Unelected Elders of the Upper House). It is worth noting that the Guurti composed of tribal elders is not well equipped to understand procedures, law making and constitutional issues.
v) The rights of Gaboye (a minority group) must be respected and protected by the government and not abused. Amnesty International has written a report condemning the government of Somaliland about the treatment and the neglect shown by the government in this matter.
We acknowledge the fact that Somaliland’s democracy is in its infancy but we feel that if these concerns are not addressed by the current administration the voice of the Diaspora and Somaliland citizens will fall on deaf ears and at the end it will hamper Somaliland’s recognition and democracy and might even create instability within Somaliland.
We kindly request you to address these issues with the government of Somaliland to enable the UK government to play a positive role in strengthening Somaliland’s democracy.
Thank you.
Mrs Lulu Farah Todd
Chair of SIRAG
Mr Ahmed Kadleye
Director of Somaliland Overseas
Our References:
Freedom of Press:
Somaliland Media & Publications Bill 2007:
http://www.somalilandlaw.com/Press___Media__Law/mediabilpress___media__law.htm
The House of Representatives confirmed, at the start of its new session last week (4/11/2007), the receipt of a new Media Bill from the Gov’t.
This Bill is based, almost word for word, on the Yemen Law No: 25 of 1990 on the Press & Publications which, even, Yemen is proposing to repeal.
Yemen: Law No. 25 (1990) on the press and publications
http://www.al-bab.com/yemen/gov/off4.htm
A Joint-Press Statement issued by Somaliland’s leading independent newspapers:
http://somalilandpresslaw.blogspot.com/2007/11/somaliland-government-proposes-new.html
Somaliland Government Proposes New ‘Press Law’ To Gag the Free Press & Take its assets:
A Joint-Press Statement issued by Somaliland’s leading independent newspapers: Jamhuuriya, Ogaal, Haatuf, Geeska Africa and Saxansaxo:
http://somalilandpresslaw.blogspot.com/2007/11/somaliland-government-proposes-new.html
Somaliland Press Law Blog:
http://somalilandpresslaw.blogspot.com/
Humanrights Case of Qaran Politicians including their arrests:
http://somaliland28july2007.blogspot.com/
Campaign to abolish the extra-judicial activities of Somaliland Security Committees by Somaliland Law:
http://www.somalilandlaw.com/Somaliland_Security_Committees/body_somaliland_security_committees.html
Abolish Illegal Security of Somaliland(resources about abolishing the illegal security committee):
http://abolishillegalsecuritycommitteeofsoma.blogspot.com/
Gaboye Minority Case:
