Somaliland
SOMALILAND: Police detain 9 over opposition flag
June 2, 2010 · 28 Comments
HARGEISA (Somalilandpress) — Presidential guards netted around nine people including three journalists on Wednesday near the Presidential palace over an opposition flag.
At least nine people including independent reporters were taken into custody by the President’s guards and state police when they stormed a house just few meters away from the Presidential compound.
According to eyewitnesses the guards became agitated and aggressive when civilians leased a private property few meters away from the palace in the opposite direction and started to display a flag belonging to the main opposition Kulmiye Party.
The guards with the support of the state police then detained people who gathered around the private resident as well as reporters. All nine people were taken to the main central prison in Hargeisa without any charges.
The detained reporters are Mohamed Said Abdullahi of Berbera News, Mohamoud Jama [Xuuto] of Waaheen Media and Mohamed Rashid from the state run Radio Hargeisa.
Berberanews reporter, Mr Mohamed Said confirmed the arrests to Somalilandpress when we spoke to him while in prison. “I am at the moment kept inside the main prison along with two other reporters and six pro-Kulmiye civilians,” he said.
Mr Mohamed said he was arrested for simply doing his job. “We were traveling on the main road of the palace when men painting their house the Kulmiye flag strucked our eyes, so we went to see why people were gathering. A moment later we saw the police detaining people, beating a number of them with the back of a gun. I took a picture of the incident then a tall man from the Criminal Investigation Department held a pistol on my head. He took me away and now I have been detained for more than an hour,” he told Somalilandpress.
Mr Mohamed said he was horrified and shocked how much force and violence the police used against the opposition supporters.
This is not an isolated incident the national government continues to arrest and detain people who support the two opposition parties illegally just days before the presidential elections. These repressions could have a negative impact on the overall out come of the elections unless the regime stops the on going abuses.
Somalilandpress | Wednesday, June 2, 2010
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Tags: Arrest, Journalist, Kulmiye, Police, Somaliland
Readers Comments (28)
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Sad news!! Hope all parties exercise restraint and should
have one common goal, the interest of their Homeland at heart.
Love and Peace to all Somaliland People.
i agree with you Maalin… All eyes are on Somaliland now so they need to stand together……
What do you expect from the UFUF party? They KNOW that they only have a month left, but rather than act like grownups, they are behaving like children with more authority than brains.
These kind of actions disgust me and are unacceptable regardless of which of the three main political parties you support. As a Somalilanders who were victims to human rights abuses dished out by government forces for nearly thirty years WE WILL NOT TOLERATE SUCH IDIOCY by ANYONE including the current thugs, goons and henchmen of the current Somaliland administration.
I call ALL Somalilanders to unite against such injustices and forgot party politics for a moment. Do you REALLY want to support a government that does this to its own citizens???
Somalilander
Wrote a longer explanation that somehow got deleted, but I'll summarize below:
What do you expect from the UFUF party?
Mo Hussein
It just shows how sensitive the situation is getting very close to election period. Why a waving or displaying flag of a party is a problem? It is a campaigning period and that is what a campaigning is all about in a democratic society on the eve of election.
UDUB doesn't need to be threatened. They could do the same instead of using force. This kind of childish behaviour would hurt their campaign big time, not helping. Intimidating people and the media who are doing their job to bring news to the public. That is nature of their work.
From now and on, I suggest that people have to take names and badge numbers of police and military who are using force against innocent people. We don't want them to get away with misusing their power. So, that the next elected government other than the current has to strip them of their uniform and put them in jail. They are for keeping the peace, not inciting violence or wrongly arresting people. The people they are abusing pays their salary. If they don't know, they know now.
These are the signs of a goverment that has nothing to offer to the people,despite being in power for the last 8years. Desperate times calls for desperate measures and it’s not surprising that the ruling paryt is restoring to these desperate actions as they have nothing to lose. I swear, this country needs change, and it’s now or NEVER! Somalilanders need to put their differences aside and qabil affiliations and think of what is best for the Country. By the way these are not the first arrests, there has been reports of similar arrests in Awdal,Saxil and Sanaag of Kulmiye party members…Enough is Enough..we need to bring power back to the people!
It's me again forgot to add, horta why the other party Ucid is not being picked on by the government, why is it only Kulmiye party members that are being intimidated and arrested, yaabka yaabkis…
I am asking this only because I have very close relatives back home that are Kulmiye supporters and I am very concerned for their safety..Ucid what's your secret for avoiding Udub's wrath?….VIVA Ucid and Kulmiye!!
soamliland waxba ma kla ogaa runta wax u sheega ayey la yihiin ee somali dhinaca ka raaca dheh
THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED!!! LOOOL
The current president is useless, he has not stepped up at all and has not brought anything good to the country but rob it's citizens of their basic rights! His party has done nothing to uplift the people and bring much needed help at all! and i say it's time for CHANGE!!! and fresh outlook for Somali-land and it's people!!
This retarded president acts like his civilized but can't let people exercise their freedom of speech , like come on man!!! I SAY IT'S TIME FOR PEOPLE TO STAND UP TO THIS NONSENSE!! AND ON JUNE 26 VOTE FOR CHANGE!!
Kulmiye party should behave responsible,, even Udub party flag is not decorated around the presedential office,, it is national symbol , it is an early sign that if kulmiye party wins the election they will make this house their own property, let me give you this example look how dahabshiil company is only recruited and employed certain group of people.
Right some people are asking them selfes why not the government has no problem with Ucid, and the answer is simple and clear ucid party knows what they want.
Okay there Wadani, easy with the qabil talk inadeer. This whole Kulmiye is a qabiliste is an old wife's tale that's warned out and holds no grounds. Kulmiye as far as I am concerned is an inclusive national party that has the support of all Somalilanders including myself and I am not even thesame tribe as the chairman. I am not going to disrespect Ucid, because I think it's a very progressive party and can bring about good changes, but unfortunately a vote for Ucid as things stand today is a vote for Udub. People who really want change in Somaliland shouldn't be playing the opposition parties against each other & wishing both luck!…P.S Dahabshill is not a party but a privately owned business…careless who he hires ;-)
ina hebel
with great respect of the party you support, i would like to thank you the response you made on my comment. i do not get where in my comment you smelled qabiil issue, my point of view was merely focusing the behavioural factor influence that bad politics my have our development and progress.
yes, i do strongly critiseze specific companies in our country that failed to fullfill their corperate responsiblities, companies that is not Taxed as they suppose to be , companies that operate globally but do not give consideration the local people they are in operations.
finally is kulmiye recist? is it fully supported all over the country,?,is democracy and fairness implemented with in the party? s their leader has the legitimacy to run for presidencty? all that answers will be recieved at the end of 26 june, insha alaah.
god bless somaliland.
Do you Kulmiye was named after Siilaanyo`s Son kulmiye. Dont tell me Kulmiye is party for all somalilanders. This party belongs to H.Jeclo unlike the United and Democratic People`s Party (UDUB) Ururka Dimoqradiga Umadaha Bahoobay.
Wadani I think your out off your depth on this topic you rather sound like the flip-floppers from Sool who one day wear the Sland shirt next hour the Puntland then moments later throw a trantrum and run after Sado Ali's music band called SSC.
I have seen you before opposed to Sland as whole.
Anyways these guys painted a private resident if you can read English not a government or public property. Learn the difference.
keyse
with no respect your comment, because you became selfish to respect your self,,because you let your brain make dark void thoughts and described added somaliland citizen with terrorist group (SSC), you kept denying your existance and mentioned that you have seen me,, therefore i hope you not expecting from me to keep reading what is your mind.
Wadani THEY are coming for you, because you are speaking clearly about THEIR agenda, in which THEY are trying to make Somaliland THEIR private property and Somalilanders as THEIR virtual slaves.
My advice to you is watch out THEY are out there ! :'(
Lets remain united, who ever wins and help the course of our people.
Lets focus on Health and not too much on vain talk about politics.
Lets play different roles for our nation and not make effort on one subject.
Lets vote for safe enviroment, for our family and childrens and their childrens children.
Lets vote for you and I so we could go back home one day and say we made the change.
Lets vote for U = United
Lets vote for C = Changed
Lets vote for I = Intellectual
Lets vote for D = Demographics
Vote for ucid for 4 more years of UDUB :)
Exactly! LOL…
It's regretable that the so called regime behaves this way and has already damaged the election spirit. The government and the militia in Sool are both trying to spoil the elections.
Real Somalilanders need to vote out Rayale and his incompotent regime.
Do not forget here, that we live under state of emergency rule, a martial law. which allaws the the government to suspend civil liberties and constitutional rights, and also it gives the police an extended power. This last incident is a fine example of that. I don't get the rationale behind this rule in a PEACE time. It may make sense if its imposed only on the eastern provinces, but not on the capital or the rest of the country. It cripples our little democracy and its making us less save.
The truth on the ground is bunch of power hungary clanish somalis. I hope they will save the people and take their fight to their own sponser in Addis-abab.
The truth on the ground is that like many other "Greater country X" proven to be failure -let alone Somalia-, you still have a hard time to relate to reality on the ground that was the result of your predecessors you know those of the golden era of "Somali Wayn", they helped created the TRUTH ON THE GROUND that you so despise.
why did somalilandpress deleted my comments?
WHATEVER HAPPEN TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH,
I DONT LIKE SOMALILANDPRESS THEY ARE NUMBER ONE BIAS NEWS
I think you meant "THEY ARE NUMBER ONE NEWS" ;)… and take it easy, even my comments get deleted sometimes… You probably used a word that was picked up by the filters…
pay back time