Somaliland Overseas
London, UK
Press Release
16th December 2007
SIRAG UK and SOMALILAND OVERSEAS have been campaigning for Recognition of Somaliland for so long and facilitated creating a Coalition of Friends for Recognition for our country in many parts of the world. We would like to remind the Elders, Intellectuals, Government, Parliament, Opposition Parties, Human rights organisations, Civil Societies, Media and the citizens of Somaliland that Somaliland’s recognition is in Emergency State.
As part of the Diaspora and the citizens of Somaliland we would like to extend our gratitude to the International Community and Somaliland’s Coalition of Friends for Recognition and Democracy for their support for Somaliland’s democratization, rule of law and human rights. We must admit that year 2007 has been a testing year for Somaliland’s democracy where the principles of upholding human rights have been compromised by the government of Somaliland. Somalilanders both in Somaliland and the Diaspora have campaigned vigorously against these setbacks and created some immediate solutions to resolve these issues. As a result, the citizens of Somaliland have gained sympathy and support from the International Community including the Coalition of Friends for Somaliland’s Recognition and Democracy.
However in saying the above we would like to set the record straight. The Coalition of Friends for Somaliland’s Recognition and Democracy have set strict conditions on the recognition of Somaliland and if these conditions are not implemented fully we believe that Somaliland’s Recognition God forbid will be delayed for some time.
The International Community and the Coalition of Friends for Somaliland’s Recognition and Democracy have turned their attention towards the Government of Somaliland and are monitoring the situation very carefully at present. In addition, Somaliland’s Coalition of Friends for Recognition and Democracy have also forwarded strict conditions to the government of Somaliland which they must fulfil if they are to gain full recognition from the International Community.
We have listed some of these conditions as below:
i) Qaran Political Prisoners must be released immediately without any conditions.
ii) The government of Somaliland must not interfere with the Independence of the legitimate board of SHURO-NET human rights organisation as highlighted by Front Line Human rights Defenders (see attached report for references). The Legitimate board members of SHURO-NET must be allowed to continue with their AGM on 23 December 2007 as planned without any delay and interference from the government whatsoever. We can not highlight enough how this case and that of Qaran Political prisoners can cause serious complications on the recognition of Somaliland. We will repeat again, these two conditions are the top two criteria for Somaliland gaining her recognition fully. The sooner it is fulfilled the quicker Somaliland’s recognition will come Insha’Allah.
iii) The Government of Somaliland must not intervene with the Freedom of Press in Somaliland
iv) Democratization of Somaliland to be strengthened and promising changes should take place to reflect this
v) Elections must commence on time
If the above conditions are not fulfilled Somaliland’s Recognition will be delayed for some time and the finger will be pointing at one direction only and that is at the leadership of the government of Somaliland. The consequences of not listening to the Voice of the Coalition of Somaliland’s Friends for Recognition and Democracy whom some of them also represent the International Community means that Somaliland’s quest for recognition over the last 16 years will be postponed for some time, God forbid.
We believe in the Spirit of the leadership of the citizens of Somaliland who will face up to the above challenges to overcome these obstacles once again. These challenges must be dealt with as an emergency case and the citizens of Somaliland must fulfill these conditions without any further delay.
We would also like to remind the Government of Somaliland that they must listen to the voice of the Citizens of Somaliland and their supporters. The success that Somalilanders have been building for the last 16 years have been damaged within a year.
We are aware of the fact that the above conditions have been communicated to the concerned parties and offices. The Coalition of Somaliland’s Friends for Recognition and Democracy are awaiting for some immediate and positive changes from the Government of Somaliland in order to save Somaliland’s quest for recognition and democratization over the last 16 years.
In God we trust, Somaliland’s hard work will prevail at the end.
God Bless Somaliland and the Family of Humanity
Marwo Lulu Farah
Chair of SIRAG
www.sirag.org.uk
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim Kadleye
Director of Somaliland Overseas
kadleye024@hotmail.com
Attached: Reports, Press Releases and Communiqués from Somaliland Diaspora, Media and Somaliland’s Coalition of Friends for Recognition and Democracy.
Reports, Press Releases and Communiqués by Somaliland Diaspora and Somaliland’s Coalition of Friends for Recognition and Democracy in relation to the illegal arrests of Qaran Politicians, Freedom of Speech and Targeting legitimate SHURO-NET Human Rights Defenders:
The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party-ELDR communiqué (ref: ELDR’s Conditional Recognition Call for Somaliland
Brussels , 27 November 2007)
http://www.somaliland.org/2007/11/30/eldrs-conditional-recognition-call-for-somaliland
Amnesty International (Ref: SOMALILAND: Leaders of new opposition party arrested)
http://www.amnesty.org/en/alfresco_asset/ff2f4dc1-a2b6-11dc-8d74-6f45f39984e5/afr520132007en.pdf
Frontline Humanrights Defenders (Headquarter office in Brussels).
Somaliland : Targeting of Human Rights Organisations Network and threats against its Director Mubarik Ibrahim Aar
http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/1280
Lord Avebury, Patron for Somaliland’s Recognition, Democracy and Humanrights:
http://somaliland28july2007.blogspot.com/
Letter from Lord Avebury to Lord Malloch Brown, November 2, 2007
http://www.qaransomaliland.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=202&Itemid=1
Lord Avebury supporting Somaliland’s Free Press
http://somalilandpresslaw.blogspot.com/
Dr. Ioan Lewis, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics, (Prof Lewis Oo Cambaareyey Talaabadda Xukuumaddu Ka Qaaday ShuroNet
Peter Tatchell: In praise of Somaliland, A beacon of hope in the Horn of Africa
http://www.theliberal.co.uk/issue_11/columns/tatchell_11.html
Somaliland Lawyers ( Somaliland Law)
Somaliland Law: The Delayed Release of Imprisoned QARAN Leaders: Procedural
Hurdles? By Ibrahim Hashi Jama
http://www.somalilandlaw.com/Delayed_Release_of_QARAN_leaders_230907.pdf
Press Release, Michael Walls, Chair, Somaliland Focus ( UK), Secretariat of UK All Party Parliamentary Group for Somaliland)
http://somalilandtimes.net/sl/2007/301/050.shtml
Somaliland Forum : PRESS RELEASE – IMMEDIATE Ref: SF/CLC/11/07
Date: 3/11/2007
SOMALILAND FORUM CONDEMNS GOVERNMENT’S TAKE-OVER OF
INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK (SHURO-Net)
http://www.somalilandlaw.com/SHURO_Net/SF_PRelease_SHURO-Net_Final_031107.pdf
A Joint-Press Statement issued by Somaliland’s leading independent newspapers http://somalilandpresslaw.blogspot.com/2007/11/somaliland-government-proposes-new.html
Washington DC Somaliland Community Press Release http://somaliland28july2007.blogspot.com/2007/08/press-release-washington-dc-area.html
Somaliland European Society (Warsaxaafadeed:Ururka Xidhiidhka Jaaliyaddaha Somaliland ee Yurub (SSE))
http://www.somalilandnet.com/news/wnews/headline/13372750.shtml
Somaliland Overseas (Baaq Guud By: Axmed Ibrahim Kadleye
http://somalilandpatriots.com/news-3563.html
SIRAG : Appeal To The International Community To Support Somaliland’s Human Rights Defenders
http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2007/303/4.shtml
Note: We appreciate and are grateful for the support and solidarity of Somaliland’s Friends whose names will not appear here for confidential reasons.
Also we apologise for not listing all the names of Somaliland’s Diaspora Organisations and Intellectuals who are too many to list here but who are tirelessly working hard to defend Somaliland’s recognition and status.
End of Press Release.
Somaliland Recognition Action Group(S.I.R.A.G)
Somaliland Overseas
London, UK
