By Mo Guled

The government of Somaliland has released free-lance Journalist Mr. Jama Jiir has been in detention since late 2013, after Somaliland authorities ordered his arrest for reporting unfavorably on the government.

The journalist is a prominent writer who had often written about the situation in Somaliland especially matters relating to corruption, nepotism, justice and mishandling of public funds by the ruling party.

Somaliland authorities could not bear the damages to the reputation of the government in publications by the journalist and therefore, ordered his arrest and imprisonment after being charged with making false accusations and defamation.

The journalist got ill while in jail because of injuries sustained after alleged torture by the prison authorities.

By Goth Mohamed Goth

Somaliland Chief State Counsel (Garyaqaanka Guud) Mr. Idle Ibrahim Saleban has revealed the need for corrections on the wrongly printed official publications of law of the country issue # 12 concerning elections laws.

The correction which is now underway touches on a Corrigendum of the Voter Registration (Amendments & Additions) Law.

The corrections follow the text of the Law published at the HoR Website on 31 March 2015 whilst the January gazetted version followed to the version of the Law previously published at the HoR Website in January 2015.

Details of the corrections:

08/05/2015: The Somaliland Official Gazette 02 May 2015 (Issue 4) published a Corrigendum of the Voter Registration (Amendments & Additions) Law which was previously published in Issue 12 of the Gazette dated 03 January 2015 (see below). For an English language of summary of the corrections see below.

In summary:

• The Final correct version of the Law is therefore the 31 March 2015 HoR website version (large pdf file – see below).
• A consolidated copy of the Gazetted January version AND the Gazetted May Corrigendum which we have prepared is available here: Consolidated Gazetted & Corrected Voter Registration (Amendments & Additions) Law (in Somali pdf 19 pages ). This is essentially a reproduction of the 31 March HoR website version.

Press Release (08/05/2015) (in Somali) by the Chief State Counsel (Garyaqaanka Guud) about the Corrigendum in the Somaliland Official Gazette, Issue 4 of 2 May 2015, relating to Voter Registration (Amendments & Additions) Law.

15/04/2015: UPDATE: A new text of the Voters Registration (Amendments & Additions) Law has been published at the House of Representatives (HoR) website on 31 March 2015, which replaced the earlier final text  that was previously available at HoR website. The text on the whole the same is the same as the one as before, but it is different in a few places from both the previously HoR published final text (which appeared at the HoR in early January 2015) and also the official text of the Law published in the Somaliland Official Gazette on 03/1/2015 (Issue 12 of 2014) (see below for these earlier versions).  There are, as yet,  no official explanations so far as to  how all this came about, but apparently  a FINAL official corrected text will be appearing in the next Somaliland Official Gazette to be published  early next month (May) as a corrigendum (correction).  (See above, now – 08/05/2015)

In the meantime, a copy of the Law which now appears at the HoR website is available at Somalilandlaw .com: Wax ka bedelaka & Kaabista Xeerka Diiwangelinta Codbixiyaaha (Xeer Lr. 37/2007). (This It is a very large pdf file – and is the final correct copy of the Law – 08/05/215 – see above for a smaller copy as gazetted). (To be published at Somalilandlaw .com).

Our comparison of the new HoR text of the Law and the previously published texts  of the final Law show that some of the differences are typographical corrections, but a few others are substantive changes to the previously texts.

1. Article 2 Definitions:

“The Register”  and “The General Register” which were both  relating to the voters’ registers and did not mention citizens’ identity registers as they referred only to voters  had both added to them a phrase to the effect that they will both also hold “the particulars of the citizens”. The previous wording followed the definitions of the 2007 Voter Registration Law, and in any case Article 4(1) and 4(2)  of the Law deal with the  citizenship register and the voter register separately.

Comment: If there was a need for a further clarification of the two Registers, it might have been better to simply refer to each register separately.

The definition of the “Regional or District Register” which again previously only related to the voter registers at these levels had added to it the registers “of the identity card or voters’ card” at the region or district.

2. Article 7 – The title “Custody of Registration” has been amended to include the additional phrase “and the production of the final lists”.
3. Article 25(2) – Correction of the word “Ministry” to read “Identity”.

Comment: This and item 7 below were both necessary textual corrections.

4. Article 26(2) – The previous reference to the period of “two months” before the election polling date for the publication of the voter register list (which was in both the final Gazetted version of the Law and in the previously HoR published January version of the final law, as well as the Bill originally published in the HoR website bills section) now reads in this new 31 March HoR published final Law version “six months”. 

Comment: Even the 2007 Voter Registration Law referred to the start of the implementation of the voter registration period as being no later than six months prior to the polling date (Article 12(1)) and that the registration officers shall reach the registration stations five months before the polling date (Article 27(1)), with the registration being undertaken during a period of not less than one month and not more than three months (Article 12(2)). So a change from two months to six months for the final stage of the production of the voter register would mean the whole process has to be started months and months in advance of this deadline and, in our view, mandates an unnecessary long period to lapse between the production of the registers and the polling date.  This requires, in our view an amendment as soon as possible, together with any other amendments/additions the National Electoral Commission proposes so as to enable the holding of the election as soon after the voters’ lists are finalised and any corrections are made promptly thereafter. 

5. Article 28 – This Article as previously published and gazetted read: “The National Electoral Commission shall, after consulting the national parties, announce the time the voter registration is commencing, and it shall so inform the President”. This was actually change to the corresponding Article 12(6) of the 2007 Voter Registration Law and the latest HoR version of this Amending Law returns to a wording essentially the same as  that in the 2007 Law by stating that  “the President shall announce the date of the commencement of the voter registration by issuing it in a Presidential Decree within fifteen days of receiving the proposal of the National Electoral Commission”.

Comment: Indeed the President issued such a Decree recently on 12 April 2015, announcing that acting on the recommendation he has received from the National Electoral Commission on 9 April 2015, the voter registration shall begin in all the regions of the country from 21 July 2015. This was the practice, as well under the 2007 Voter Registration Law.

6. Article 42 – This Article,  which is identical to Article 38 of the 2007 Voter Registration Law, currently reads in the final Gazetted Law as follows: “International and local observers or inspectors who are checking the proper conduct of the voter registration activities shall be approved by the National Electoral Commission which shall consult the Ministry of Internal Affairs about security matters”.  The same Article 42 in the  HoE version of the Law now reads as follows: “The details of the) International and local observers or inspectors who are checking the proper conduct of the voter registration activities shall be forwarded to the Ministry of Internal Affairs by the National Electoral Commission so that it (the Ministry) can reach decisions about their entry permits to the country.”

Comment: The function of verification of the credentials and suitability of the observers or inspectors belongs to the National Electoral Commission and the function of issuing entry clearances lies with the Immigration Branch and Somaliland Legations abroad. The purpose of this change is therefore not clear at all.

7. Article 44(3) – There was a missing phrase “which cannot be converted into a fine” in connection with the prison term punishment set out in this paragraph which has now been correctly inserted.

By Goth Mohamed Goth

The house of parliament has in a motion chaired by the first deputy speaker Hon Mohamed Farah have vote in favor of the Somaliland Civil Aviation Authority bill and the quality control bill.

During the motion 55MPs out of the 82 MPs were present, 48 MPS voted in favor of the Somaliland Civil Aviation Authority bill, 2 MPS vote against while 4MPS abstained, the deputy speaker didn’t vote.

On the other hand legislators in a similar vote 42 MPs voted in favor of the quality control bill, 8 MPs against while 4 MPs abstained, the deputy speaker didn’t cast his vote.

The passing of the Somaliland Civil Aviation Authority bill is vital for establishing an autonomous authority with the objective of making aviation safe, regular, standard and efficient and also to equipping Somaliland airports with the necessary communications and navigational facilities in line with international standards.

The approval quality control bill shall pave way for Quality control inspectors or engineers to monitor quality standards for almost every manufactured item during each stage of the manufacturing process and also to, test and check if consumer goods produced locally and those imported to the country are in compliance with national and international norms before being released into the local markets.

In Somalia, rape and sexual violence are alarmingly commonplace. Insufficient law enforcement and fear of being punished for reporting their attacker keep women from speaking up. Between January and November of 2013, there were 1,700 rapes in the country’s capital, Mogadishu, according to the United Nations. There were just 2 rape convictions in that same year.

But one method being used in another Somali city, Hargeisa, holds promise. Founded in 2008, The Baahi-Koob Cente is a “one-stop center where victims can report their crime to police while also receiving medical care, legal counsel, and psychological support,” TakePart’s Jacob Kushner writes. This approach is working in Hargeisa, according to Antonia Mulvey, founder of the NGO Legal Action Worldwide, and now she wants to bring its benefits to Mogadishu.

Though there was resistance at first, as well as a struggle to collect resources and funds, the center in Hargeisa has now made it possible for women to report their rapes, seek treatment, and bring justice to their attackers. Just a few years after its launch, 200 cases of sexual violence were being reported to the center each year. By 2013, the center had taken on 326 cases, 171 were prosecuted and 54 of those cases resulted in convictions. In 2014, the center had 399 cases, 191 of which were prosecuted, yielding 47 total convictions.

Similar one-stop centers are also operating in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kushner writes, with similarly promising results.

Source:Huffington post

By Goth Mohamed Goth

Somaliland born Mr. Suleiman Ismail Bolaleh, Chairman of HORNWATCH was the recipient of the Judith Lee Stronach Human Rights Award, 2015, the award was presented to Mr. Suleiman Ismail Bolaleh during the CJA’s 17th Anniversary Dinner, which was held on Thursday, May 7, 2015 at The Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco.

Suleiman Ismail Bolaleh is the Chairman and a founding member of the Horn of Africa Human Rights Watch Committee (HORNWATCH), the leading human rights advocacy organization in Somaliland.

Over the past three decades, Suleiman has been one of the few individuals willing to speak out against corruption practices within both government and humanitarian circles. He is a strong advocate for freedom of the press, asylum seekers, refugees, prisoners, and minorities.

CJA’s Annual Dinner, Celebrating Global Justice, brings together elected officials, judges, leading lawyers, advocates, survivors, and supporters to celebrate important victories secured by CJA and our partners.

About the Award

Founded in 1998, CJA is an international human rights organization dedicated to deterring torture and other severe human rights abuses through impact litigation, education and outreach. We now represent over 200 survivors and family members from over twenty countries. We are the leading non-governmental organization litigating cases against individual human rights abusers in the U.S., Spain and Cambodia.

Featuring:

Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

2015 Champion of Justice Award

Navanethem (Navi) Pillay began her career defending scores of anti-Apartheid activists including Nelson Mandela, and later served as a judge on the South African High Court. She has also served as a judge for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court in The Hague. As High Commissioner for Human Rights, she was a critical first responder in ongoing human rights crises around the world.

Joan Jara, Amanda Jara, and Manuela Bunster

CJA Clients: Jara v. Barrientos

Joan, Amanda and Manuela are the widow and two children of the internationally renowned Chilean folk singer, playwright, and political activist, Víctor Jara, who was killed by Chilean military forces during the 1973 coup led by General Augusto Pinochet. After Víctor’s death, Joan, Amanda, and Manuela established the Víctor Jara Foundation, which is dedicated to perpetuating the memory of Víctor, his work, his values, and his vision for a transformation of Chilean society.

Ethiopian FM Ambassador Berhane Gebre-Christos, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday (May 6) met with Mohamed Behi Yonis, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somaliland. Discussions covered ways of promoting trade ties and ensuring peace and stability in the region.

Somaliland Foreign Affairs and International cooperation Hon Mohamed Behi Yonis briefed Ambassador Berhane on the delays in the Somaliland presidential election. The Electoral Commission of Somaliland recently announced that the presidential election had been postponed until June next year.

Somaliland Foreign Minister expressed humanitarian, security and economic concerns over the growing influx of Yemeni refugees to Somaliland and said Somaliland had called on the international community to support Somaliland on these issues of common concerns.

Ethiopian FM Ambassador Berhane, welcomed the decision of the over the date of the presidential election, reiterated Ethiopia’s support for the promotion of peace and stability through dialogue. He affirmed Ethiopia was willing to cooperate with the leadership of Somaliland to safeguard regional peace and security and address issues of common concerns. Ambassador Berhane also stressed the need to find ways to prevent radicalization of youth by extremist groups across the region.Ethiopian FM Ambassador Berhane Gebre-Christos, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday (May 6) met with Mohamed Behi Yonis, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somaliland. Discussions covered ways of promoting trade ties and ensuring peace and stability in the region.

Press release

Human Rights Centre chairperson released on bail

Today, 6^th May 2015, Guleid Ahmed Jama, Chairperson of Human Rights Centre, was released on bail. Guleid was arrested on 18^th April 2015 after he gave an interview to BBC Somali Service where he raised concern on the execution of the death penalty.

The Regional Court of Hargeisa remanded Guleid seven days in prison from 20^th April to 26^th April. However, he was not brought to court when the remand days lapsed. Today he was released from the prison.

“Human Rights Centre (HRC) expresses its deep gratitude to the individuals, organizations and countries who tirelessly advocated for the freedom of Guleid”, says Hana Abdisalam Mohamed, advocacy and lobbying officer of HRC. “We are very grateful to their endless support”, she adds.

Human Rights Centre is very committed to continue its activities and will not be intimidated by the arrest of Guleid. Human Rights Centre is a registered, impartial and independent nongovernment organization headquartered in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland.

Contact

Ms Hana Abdisalam Mohamed

Head of Advocacy and Lobbying

Human Rights Centre

Hargeisa Somaliland

Email: hana.mohammed253@gmail.com website www.hrcsomaliland.org