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Letter
to Dr. Ghanim Alnajja
Independent Human Rights Commissions
(SHHRF 0055/2005, Monday, 29 August 2005)
Re: Human
Rights issues in Somalia
Dear Dr. Ghanim
Alnajjar
We are glad to hear
you visiting Somalia again to assess human rights issues. We would like to
take this opportunity to highlight some issues which we are concerned about.
Human rights issues have not been better since your last visit of the
country.
We believe that human
rights abuses were one of the main reasons for the collapse of the former
Somali Democratic Republic. Similarly, taking no account on human rights
issues and humanitarian law in the Somali peace negotiations are some of the
main reasons for the failures of setting a working government in Somalia for
the last fourteen years.
Our concerns is
shared by the majority of Somalis as they feel that those believed
responsible for the worst human rights atrocities in Somalis have been
rewarded with high office government office. One of this is President
Abdullahi Yusuf who on 23 March 2005 lost damage case to the widow and
children of the late Sultan Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud (known as Sultan Hurre) in
the UK Court. The respected Sultan was killed on the 17th of August 2002 at
Kala-bayrka, in Puntland state of Somalia, by the personal bodyguards of
Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf.
The real intention of
the killing of Sultan Hurre was intended to threaten and curb the grassroots
development from taking root in Somalia. This trend has not ceased as they
are still in many part of Somali regions.
It is unfortunate
that after two years of Somali reconciliation in Kenya, Somalia is embracing
a renewal of violence as there is a build up of tension and political
hostility within the new Somali institutions. Since the formation of the
Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in 2004, two main problems seem
to have stalled its activities. These are: (i) The deployment of foreign
peacekeeping troops in Somalia, and (ii) The temporary relocation of the
capital until it is cleared of militia and freelance gangs. These matters
have divided the government, the parliament and the presidency into two or
more groups.
The real losers are
the Somali people while the warlords, turned to ‘statesmen’, are employing
media rhetoric tension to shore up their position. SHHRF believes that a
warlord is a warlord and he should be held responsible for his deeds.
Sultan Hurre Human
Rights Focus |
