On Thursday, 6th December 2012, a brutal massacre took place on the south bank of Hargeisa in which two people lost their lives instantly and two others succumbed to their wounds later at Edna Aden Hospital after the so-called Somaliland Special Police, an anti-terror unit, have been ordered to use whatever force is necessary to disperse an unarmed peaceful demonstrators protesting against an apparent “manipulated local election results” held in the country 0n 28 November 2012. At least nine others were injured some of them seriously including a ten year old girl who was shot in the stomach.
These demonstrators died from fatal gunshot wounds to the neck or upper abdomen which indicates that the police have been granted an unrestrained power to use live ammunitions to quell the protest. Even worse, when this “state terrorism” was perpetrated against the people of Ahmed Dhagah no single government official or institution expressed sympathy or condolences in public to the relatives of the fallen victims. Similarly, the largely clan-based civil society groups in Somaliland came under fierce criticism for their criminal wall of silence on this abhorrent crime.
When President Ahmed Silanyo was in opposition three years ago, Rayale could not stand his blistering condemnations whenever the security forces resort to firing guns into air to disperse his angry KULMIYE supporters demonstrating against the government’s injustices. Silanyo was then a fire breathing demagogue whose words could easily incite his supporters to insurrection or vigilantism although he is now an old shadow of himself.
It is an irony of fate that the people whose blood was shed in the streets of Ahmed Dhagah by Silanyo’s security forces are the same people that remained shoulder to shoulder with him in the hour of his need. Also, they were the same people who propelled him into power by overwhelmingly voting for his ruling party- KULMIYE.
During Rayale’s days, whenever a protester is hurt in a peaceful demonstration, often organized by KULMIYE party activists, Silanyo would visit them at the General Hospital and wish them a speedy recovery.
Today, it was only after much public outcry and avalanche of condemnations, mostly from the Diaspora, that Silanyo reluctantly expressed his deridingly belated expression of sympathy to the relatives of the murdered peaceful demonstrators while in the same breath threatening the bereaved relatives that he will “deal forcefully with anyone who disrupts the law and order”. But the president missed the point by a wide mark. It was none other than his security forces that acted unlawfully in this instance.
It remains a mystery until now why everybody in Somaliland is so silent on this hideous crime which has seriously damaged the reputation of this country. This silence implies nothing but consent to the barbaric manner in which these people were killed in cold blood.
No matter what, this ugly massacre of children will remain an indelible stain on the moral conscience of Silanyo and his inner circle. It is also sad and lamentable that the British taxpayers whose funds supports this special police unit, which was meant to fight terrorists, is now being used to silence dissent in order to advance Silanyo’s family political agenda.
Needless to say, the slain demonstrators were exclusively supporters of HAKSOOR political association who unwaveringly believe that the results of the local election announced by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) were deliberately manipulated.
In fairness, there are strong indications that lend credence to the argument of the HAKSOOR supporters that the election results have been deliberately manipulated to ensure that the only political associations that the government favours would, in the end, qualify for national parties. WADDANI party whose leader is also the Speaker of the House is simply a subsidiary of KULMIYE party and remains at the beck and call of Silanyo. There is no way that WADDANI will be a credible opposition and hold the government in power to account to the best interests of the people.
There are also rock solid evidences of massive vote riggings in the form of video clips that are currently making the rounds on the internet not to mention the documentations and other material evidence available. Only a fool can deny such self-evident truths. There is no doubt that HAKSOOR was targeted by NEC officials with the full knowledge and collaboration of selected cabinet ministers and KULMIYE party officials headed by Hersi Haji Ali, the minister of the presidency.
First, the HAKSOOR final vote tally was consciously deleted from the NEC computer in an apparent attempt to create confusion and chaos. Until now, no one has come up with any sort of explanation for this criminal offence. When HAKSOOR officials asked for a recount, the ballot boxes from the electoral district of Ahmed Dhagah, the stronghold of HAKSOOR, could not be found at all even though the NEC headquarters in Hargeisa was heavily guarded and its surroundings was teaming up with people.
Even the conspiracy theorists and blind supporters of the government could not find a plausible explanation about the mysterious disappearances of these ballot boxes. It emerged later that the reason why the electoral commissioners were unwilling to show the missing ballot boxes of the electoral district of Ahmed Dhagah was because HAKSOOR ballot papers were “dumped and burned” in the dry river bed of Hargeisa where the ballot papers were found flying over all over the place. The HAKSOOR candidates ‘names were clearly printed on the ballot papers with a cross put in the box next to the potential candidates’ names.
This incontrovertible evidence was shown on Horn Cable TV by Hassan Essa Jama- HAKSOOR leader. The local press was also invited to check the authenticity of the ballot papers which clearly bears the seal of NEC on the back of each ballot papers.
A more damning evidence surfaced when the president’s special advisor on Eastern Region, Fuad Adan Adde, said unambiguously in a press statement that the chairman of the NEC Essa Yusuf Mohamed, was “directly responsible” for the deliberate disenfranchisement of the Sool people particularly Huddun district. He added that the NEC chairman, a clan fundamentalist in his own right, “clearly favoured his own clan over the Dhulbahante clan”.
The extreme wickedness of this government could be summed up in one example. KULMIYE councillors who lost their seats had been brazenly replaced with others who were earlier officially declared as winners, leading to violent demonstrations between government forces and supporters of the councilors who were deliberately robbed of their victory with the assistance of Silanyo’s Kangaroo court in Hargeisa.
The local election held in the country on 28 November 2012 was not only a complete and utter sham marred by large scale vote rigging, “under-age voting, and multiple voting” but also ended up with the brutal murder of four innocent people.
The consequence is that today Hargeisa remains a divided city where Silanyo’s forces have no control at all over Ahmed Dhagah district. It is off limits to government functionaries. Taxes are not collected. Government vehicles are impounded although civilian and NGO cars freely operate and move around.
When HAKSOOR was robbed of its votes in Sool, Zeil and Sanaag and the blood of its supporters were shed, its leadership was told to place their complaints with the relevant district and provincial courts where the election fraud and vote rigging occurred. The Haksoor leadership has now issued an official press statement in which they made it unequivocally clear that all the chief provincial judges of Sool, Awdal, Marodi Jeh and Sanaag informed them in no uncertain terms that they could not handle any HAKSOOR complaint regarding the election.
It has now emerged that the executive department directly intervened in the relevant courts because the government could not stand the overwhelming evidence at HAKSOOR’s disposal.
The responsibility for the blood spilled in the streets of Hargeisa lies fairly and squarely at the presidential palace and the clan fundamentalist chairman of the NEC, Essa Yusuf Mohamed, who refused to postpone the announcement of the hotly disputed election results despite the many unanswered questions.
The trigger-happy elements within the ranks of the Police who have committed this heinous crime are yet to be identified let alone to be charged. Furthermore, there is no apology from the government and no heads will roll.
Today, Silanyo cannot claim to be the president of all Somalilanders. Certainly, he is not the president of the people of Ahmed Dhagah. Whether we like it or not he reduced himself as the Leader of a Clan Fiefdom rather than the leader of a state.
As a fervent and loyal supporter of this nonagenarian president for more than a decade, I would never have imagined even in my wildest dreams that Silanyo’s government would so easily and quickly turn into an organized crime syndicate right in front of our eyes to the extent that it would brazenly steal the local election in a broad day light and resort to bathing in the blood of innocents.
It’s a new chapter that will be written in the annals of Somaliland history.
Jamal Madar
Qudhmiye will always be fat ,corrupt and dangerous
Today the second of January at around 10 am this morning me and some colleagues of mine were driving through the a neighborhood populated by Arab subclan. We reached a kind of a dip with rails somewhat like a bridge only it’s ground level. I don’t know what it’s called but its west of Star fuel station and further out from “isha Borama”. Anyways some kids put a tire dead center in the middle of the road and walked off. So i ask the driver to stop so i can remove the tire from blocking vehicles which is what any good Muslim would do. I do it quickly and throw the tire under the railing into where the rain water usually runs.
Now i get back into the car and as soon as we start to drive off these teenagers start shouting at us blocking our path holding huge rock threatening to smash our windows. They start moving towards us and i roll down my window to see what the ruckus is all about. “Why did you move the tire out of the road?” shouts at me the oldest one of these hoodlums while also cursing at my mother. “Look don’t curse at my mother i don’t see a problem here i respond.”
One of the hooligans kicks the front of our car with a loud thunder causing a dent in our vehicle. That’s the point when the main aggressor who was standing at my window turns his attention to his fellow hooligan and starts physically dispersing them and opening a road for us.
“It’s a civilian vehicle let it go” He orders them and we start moving away with a few kicks and bangs against out vehicle for good measure.
This happened to us today on Wednesday while this article is still crying about the blameless victims of Arab subclan.You wonder why Somalilanders are quite about the Arab’s misfortune. Maybe becasue like me they know the Arab don’t have a just cause and are not using peaceful protests.
throwing rocks is the favorit somali sport ! i hate that bad habit
Folks, lyk Kayse, this Author has nothing in mind other than what the SL fellow talks about?
The nations security can not be compromised and should be protected by the country's
public law and order enforcement. Therefore, I consider this article as ridiculous.
Cheers.
Jamal Arab,
It is unfortunate that we lost a young individual in the Ahmed Dhagah county and our condolences go to the family of deceased and the wounded, may Allah grant a swift recovery to the injured and grant paradise to the dead. Every life in Somaliland is precious to us. We need to give a better training to our police forces.
Having said that, Mr. Arab you need to put the blame to where it belongs. This incident is the sole making of Hassan Isse Jama and his elk – the defeated political organization formerly known as Xaqsoor. They are the ones who instigated the violent protests and called the women and the youth to take to the street, while they stayed away comfortably from the scene. Mr. Hassan has the blood of thousands of Somalilanders in his hands. He was the Vice President when civil war broke in Somaliland 1992, therefore, before you point your fingers at the current Somaliland administration, why can't you be fair, open your eyes and see the current and past historical actions of your leader?
Every Somalilander knows that you guys are waging propaganda war against the current administration through this website and your clannish Hadhwanaagnews website, but rest assured this has already back-fired on you, since it has been crystal clear that you are out there to destroy what Somalilanders have achieved with blood and tears in the last two centuries. Your motto is "destroy Somaliland if Hassan is not successful". This is nonsense, a multi-paedus (hangraarac)does not limp for a single leg, goes a Somali proverb and that is the current situation in Somaliland. If you try to punch a concrete wall then you will only fracture your fingers, as Haji Abdi Warabe put it.
Please lets not visit this crap anti-Somaliland website anymore. Also lets inform Google to remove their page (SomalilandPress.com) from Google search engine news result as this violet their terms. Please report to Google. This site is creating nothing but hate and already killed people because of their actions. Thank you.
calaacal kii baa bilaamey your problem is bigger then somalilandpress stop grasping at straws please.
Press is a site that is needed in creating division and mistrust between the Population of the 2-Somali-STATES.
It's agenda is clear and i find it's actions have a longer lasting Disuniting effect and a mere short term negativity towards Somaliland.
It is doing a good job indirectly in ensuring that the lines of division are made permanent.
Bring Mr Silnayo and his cronies to the international court of human rights just like Charles Taylor.
Massacre — Seriously ? one more and it would have been a genocide I guess.
That's how they think man, a somalilander cannot live without a lie or at least an exaggeration. That's the way they convinced each other of a never coming recognition, and so they know how their poor brains operate. They are constantly reminded by what siyad barre has done, hargeisa is the biggest mental hospital on earth with silaanyo, another lunatic, in charge. They don't actually mind for their sons and daughters to be slaughtered, but don't you dare saying solanyo is corrupt and somaliland will never be recognised. That's how they measure the afairs.
Let’s be frank to each other for once ! We know who Mr Hassan Isse is in terms of his history particularly his uncompromising behaviour as well as his doomed leadership when he was the vice president of Somaliland. His mental health condition as well as his ability to lead. But what supervised me was that Sool and Sanaag politicians joined his party without asking themselves a relevant questions in terms of where Mr Hassan will be leading to us, will his party even smell any success in the municipal election if any. Have we chosen the right candidate or even if he would lose, how Mr Hassan would behave.
I was watching a programme another day on Somali Channe where two of Xaqsoor’s party were invited and I was schocked when I head from one of them stating that he would seek legal advice for the purpose of taking the president, Mr Siilanyo and some of comrades to court when their next door neighbour is one of Siyad barre’s leaders who commited atrocites on their family during the period when Suyad barre was slaughtering ou nation. I will leave for the audience to make a comment on this.
Mr Siilanyo is your president And you call yourself Awdal boy? Young man Your nothing but a big disgrace for waving the banner of the Ethiopian stooge (SNM).
RIP Awdalland!
Let’s be frank to each other for once ! We know who Mr Hassan Isse is in terms of his history particularly his uncompromising behaviour as well as his doomed leadership when he was the vice president of Somaliland. His mental health condition as well as his ability to lead. But what supervised me was that Sool and Sanaag politicians joined his party without asking themselves a relevant questions in terms of where Mr Hassan will be leading to us, will his party even smell any success in the municipal election if any. Have we chosen the right candidate or even if he would lose, how Mr Hassan would behave.
I was watching a programme another day on Somali Channe where two of Xaqsoor’s party were invited and I was schocked when I head from one of them stating that he would seek legal advice for the purpose of taking the president, Mr Siilanyo and some of comrades to court when their next door neighbour is one of Siyad barre’s leaders who commited atrocites on their family during the period when Suyad barre was slaughtering ou nation. I will leave for the audience to make a comment on this.
Does the author of this garbage think that Hassan isse commited crimes back the days of habar habarta before labelling his liberator.
First of all Happy New Year guys I hope all you guys enjoyed.
My New Year was crap I thought they will do some fireworks in Hargeisa BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOO such a shame no-one was on the street.
Puntland Geezer
I am originated from Awdal and I am proud to be Somalilander as my ancestors had taken a valuable role for creating this Oasis – Somaliland. Do not patronise me – please.
Puntland is pregnant now thing to copy us – lets see and wait for the unborn baby.
Puntland Geezer
I am originated from Awdal and I am proud to be Somalilander as my ancestors had taken a valuable role for creating this Oasis – Somaliland. Do not patronise me – please.
Puntland is pregnant now thing to copy us – lets see and wait for the colour of the unborn baby.
Puntland rules by a dictator if he is not worst than Afewyne – he is the most ruthless dictator I have come across for a considerable period of time. Why do not you air you view in your dead websites rather wasting your time with this developed nation – Viva Somaliland
@Awdal boy
Just how far have you degraded yourself by joining forces with the Ethiopian stooge (SNM)? not only you have disgrace yourself but you have tampered my entire belief system on saldaanada cadal and the King Gurey.
Saylac being colonised by the Ethiopian stooges (SNM) while you sit comfortably in your chair.
me das asco!
Kkkkkkk
At least we do not sell our girls to Ethiopians. Ugades and to Mahjga
All the ethiopian have free RIDE in Hargeisa nad burco fact
I live abroad and even in this advanced country will still discuss the bad choices politicians make how could you say silanyos government is perfect.why is it hard to find pll that admit we have a problem called qabil and we need to address it.
@Awdal boy
amisom troops don't have any contact whatsoever with the women of mogadishu, infact the amisom troops were complaining about their access to sexual needs.
http://www.theafricareport.com/news-analysis/ugan…
I hope you can drop this somaliland bs cuz somaliland is a plot created by our enemies aka Ethiopian to dismember Somalia.
We have to unite as somalis for our country's survival and repulse the enemies from our country.
I wonder how many Imans and ayan xirsi's would hit the headlines if AMisom is allowed into puntland province?
Someone alert the 20,000 troops that Fuad Shangole is in in Gerowe.
Dear Mr. Madar,
We do know what had happened in the district of Ahmed Dhagah, we also do know election was stolen from the people and it's leader Hassan Issa. That doesn't mean we Somalilanders, will destroy what we have built for the last 20+ years. Once we involved in politics, we have to know it has ups and down, this time Xaqsoor party is down but it's not out. My advice is for the people to organize themselves and find the way to defeat Kulmiye party in next election. You have to know Kulmiye did not took over by force but by ballot box. So please, let as make sure we take them out by ballot box as well. Somaliland do not belong to Kulmiye and its supporters but to all Somaliland loving people and please separate these two.
that's the real solution to takeover your opponent through the democratic process..take them out
by ballot box. Though it would be difficult to take out these trio, Kulmiye,UCID,Wadani old die-hard
guards. Haqsoor and Ummada have no choice but to accept the new political realities and stop
distrubing the public peace and get over the crocodile tears by allowing kids and women to take
the law of the land into their hands.
Cheers.
Let us rule. You have no choice but to accept the new reality what does that mean? It's mean we will steal elections to come. We have the man power and we will call it a Democracy. That means a De Facto Dictatorship. 21 years that is what you have it doesn't get anymore depressing then that.
Sahra,
Sister, we Somalilanders will not buy your garbage advice, we do know what is good for us, that is the reasons why we are at peace for the last 21+ years so, please stop talking about dictatorship and other nonsense. concentrate with your own.
Ok so some cl annish mu pp ets get their youngsters all into a mob, because they were too inept to realize that one c l an cannot win an election on its own, and when they lost and turned their youngsters into the streets in mob fashion the police that were there to keep the peace were attacked and had to defend themselves, sadly lives were lost but I ask you who is ultimately to blame?
Like I said before if they had legs to stand on they would have not only the international community and the regular Lander observers with them, which they dont. Not only the NEC but the courts have already put this issue to rest.
Xaaqsur or whoever needs to learn that they need to run on a platform that will appeal to the majority of Landers if they want to win in the future. Take a lesson from the GOP their base old, white males is shrinking state side.
Now we're comparing our self to the most powerful nation in the world. Sir before you go there you need to become recognized as a country. Second Its like you're a new-born what do you need to learn EVERYTHING. So my suggestion is that Untied States should be the last place you make a comparison to. I forget it was you LOL anything stupid is possible coming from you…!!!!
Dear Jamal,
Your current grievance with Silanyo diametrically opposes to your support of him against the then president Rayale……Oh, puh-leeze! don't feed us little snippets of info, stripped out of your foresight capability to know such in earnest, of what Mr. Silanyo is capable of and was known to us all along.
Mr. Jamal, take this as a blurb of what the other actions your ex-ideal has in his sleeve and intended to dispense in future. So stay strong and do not scorn on him your self-inflicted wound….lick it albeit painful..
Let me add this, Mr, Jamal…. you support of Xiqdisoor, as is widely known, is not worth dying for….Its leader is nothing but an incorrigible bigot who has entertained the "NEW" thought of cashing in on stoking fire between a two brotherly clans….if you know which I mean.
Excellent article, quite eveident Siil-aanyo has short memory or he would know the same people he is killing are those that put him in power, but rest be assured we will not be defeated in any front. Xaqsoor and ummada should have joined forces way before to oust this clannish qudhmiye party!
@Buuxiye79p
You have definitely demonstrated your hatred for somali woman uff always badmouthing them.
Imans and Ayan are disbelievers who rejected Islam long time ago and have being kicked out from the Majerteen community altogether. If they ever set foot in Somali soil or Puntland I be the first to behead them.
I agree thought there are some somali chicks in the diaspora who have married jareer and cadaan men but they have also being banished from the Somali community and will never ever bring their half breed children into somalia.
Please don't isolate yourself from other somalis just because we don't recognize your delusional British white trash colonial village. Somalia belongs to you as well, don't just spend your entire lives back and forward in Hargeisa, burco iyo berbera there are some nice places to visit in somalia especially bari, gaalkacyo, xamar, marka afgooye etc.
The enemies basically the (Ethiopian) and their stooges SNM have be feeding you nothing but lies and brainwashing you to hate your fellow somalis brothers and sisters.
I don't wish any bad for somaliland because I love somali people regardless of their tribal background.
I have be married to a beautiful Issaq woman for three years since relocating to Hargeisa from london and I have three Pure beautiful somali kids and hopefully one day I see meself as the mayor of Hargeisa.
You trash Somaliland and then you say you want to be Mayor of Hargeysa! Wow, talk about being confused:) I truly feel sorry for your "Isaaq" wife who lives and is bearing children for a man who has no respect for where he is getting his daily bread (your move to Hargaysa is obviously for business reasons). I hope no one votes for you and I hope my people see you for the fraud you are!
I think the problem is not acknowledging the issues but rather HOW we acknowledge and discuss them. The above remarks is surely an example of how we deal with issues. Stalking the fires of fitna and exxagerating is one way we do it and i am absolutely ashamed of it! Only Allah can show us the way inshaAllah make dua people. As a sister, i am often shocked by how our brothers become vicious and sometimes without understanding the context just because their clan member has been mentioned. Lets try to be objective without being offensive!