One Man’s Private Guantanamo Bay: Using Aid as Leverage, How Denmark Illegally Imprisoned one of its Citizens in Somaliland

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November 18, 2018

Omer Hassan Sh Muse is a dual national of Somaliland and Denmark and while Mr Muse is technically a fugitive from justice and is still wanted by the Judicial Authorities of Denmark since 2012, turns out he is not very hard to find because he has actually been in prison in Somaliland since 2014.

Mr Muse is suspect in the murder of Jonas Thomsen Sekyere in Copenhagen in 2012, and it is important to note that he has not been convicted of a crime in Denmark.

Sitting in his cell in Hargeisa Central Jail, Mr Muse will readily admit that he is no angel and that he has had brushes with the law in Denmark where he grew up. He will also tell you that he has rediscovered his deep roots and connection with Somaliland and particularly Hargeisa where his great grand father Sheikh Muse Dualeh have lived since the 1800s.

Before we get into Mr Muse’s imprisonment in Hargeisa, we need to understand a little bit about him.

Mr Omer with his school soccer team in Denmark

Mr Omer grew up in Denmark with his mother and younger brother in the picturesque town of Aalborg in the Jutland region of Denmark located some 300 kilometers east of Copenhagen.

He graduated from the Mellervangskolen high school and went on to the Tekniks Skole to train as an electrician but had to drop out due to the birth of his daughter Malika.

Mr Omer holding his new born daughter Malika

Mr. Muse found himself in Somaliland for the first time in his adult life after the tragic incident which led to the death of a 21 year old Jones Sekyere at club Bakken in the Kødbyen, Vesterbro district, Copenhagen in November 2012.

While talking to us, Mr. Muse never claims innocence or admits guilt, instead he maintains that the “burden of proof” is on the Danish authorities to prove his guilt in a court of law and that he is innocent until proven guilty and says nothing more to incriminate himself and does not discuss the specifics of what he knows about the case.

The Danish authorities apprehended three other young men for being involved in the murder of Jones Sekyere, they have been cleared of all charges and released. It is unclear if they have turned state witneses and testified against Mr. Muse.

Mr. Muse was caught up between the Danish government’s demand to have him extradited to stand trial in Denmark for his alledged crime, and Somaliland’s constitution which bars extradition of citizens for prosecution in foreign countries. An unintended consequence of his dual nationality.

Danish Ambassador in Nairobi METTE KNUDSEN with former President Siilanyo and Ex Foreign Minister and current Finance Minister Saad Ali Shire

The Danish government has lobbied the former President HE Mohamed Ahmed Silanyo’s government to no avail and their request for extradition was denied time and time again.

Mr. Muse left with senior Muse and his cousins, Yonis and Ahmed.

At the center of all the action is another Mr. Muse, his paternal uncle Noah Sheikh Muse whose house the younger Mr. Muse stayed at the time of his arrest in Hargeisa and who just happened be the Minister of Finance, one the most powerful cabinet positions of President Silanyo’s government and later the Head of the Civil Service Commission.

Media Frenzy

Reading news reports from Denmark around the time of Mr. Muse’s arrest and the media frenzy that surrounded the case, Mr. Muse it seemed has gained a level of notoriety and has already been found guilty in the court of public opinion.

Ekstra Bladet even went the extra distance to dispatch a reporter to Somaliland to track down Mr. Muse. The clandestine rendezvous and changing of vehicles makes it look like the world famous terrorist Osama Bin Laden himself is the subject of the documentary. At the end of it as if to make the point that Mr. Muse is a genuinely the ultimate bad guy, the documentary shows photos from his facebook profile posing with an AK47.

It is important to note that Denmark is one of the largest aid donors to Somaliland and at the time of the negotiation had an unfettered access to anyone in the Somaliland government they wish to lobby to have Mr. Muse extradited. Yet, they were unsuccessful. Mr. Muse is, it seems, is safe from extradition back to Denmark.

Guilty!

Then came the news that no one was expecting, least of all Mr. Muse, when the Somaliland government unilaterally announced that he will not be extradited to Denmark, instead he would be tried for the murder of
Jonas Thomsen Sekyere here in Somaliland.

This is an eventuality that, it seems neither the Danish government nor Mr. Muse was expecting.

Mr. Muse’s legal team at the time theorized that it will be near impossible for Somaliland government to bring any credible case against him since they do not have access to evidence and will not be able to bring his alleged accomplices who turned state witnesses to Somaliland to testify against him. They figured, it’s an open and shut case.

Denmark on its part made it clear to Mr. Muse and legal team that they will not be participating in any legal proceedings against him in Somaliland and that he is not being prosecuted on their behalf.

Yet, in Mr. Muse’s Supreme Court case in which he lost his final appeal, Somaliland’s Government makes it clear that they were provided both with documents, photos as well as witnesses.

Page 4 of Mr. Muse’s Supreme Court Case. Prosecutor’s statement.

Mr. Muse has confessed to killing Mr. Sekyere in the lower Regional Court. This is a fact Mr. Muse vehemently denies and challenges the government to produce evidence of him admitting the crime.
Two witnesses testified that Mr. Muse has committed the crime. According to Mr. Muse’s legal team, no witnesses were ever produced in his trial.
That the Danish government has shared documents with photo. This too is disputed by Mr. Muse’s legal team as no documents or photos were shared with them. Something the defendant and his legal representative is entitled to receive under Somaliland law.

Denmark’s (un)plausible Deniability

Somaliland Chronicle has reached out to the Danish embassy in Nairobi to understand the official position of the Danish government regarding Mr. Muse’s incarceration in Somaliland.

We asked if “3. Does the Danish Government think Mr. Omar had a fair trial and proper representation in Hargeisa?” and the answer from the Ambassador, Mette Knudsen is that “the Embassy is aware of the case and follows it closely” but cannot provide any details because of what she called “professional secrecy“.

Response from Danish Ambassador in Nairobi **METTE KNUDSEN**

Danish Ambassador in Nairobi Mette Knudsen with President Muse Bihi Abdi

On October 10, a little over a week from our contact with the Danish Embassy in Nairobi, the Ambassador Mette Knudsen and the head of DANIDA Elisabeth Kobæk were in Hargeisa to meet with Somaliland President HE Muse Bihi Abdi to discuss among other things the Somaliland Development Fund. Denmark is one of the biggest contributors of the SDF fund.

Danish Ambassador in Nairobi Mette Knudsen and Head of DANIDA
Elisabeth Kobæk with President Muse Bihi Abdi

On this seemingly ordinary and unremarkable visit to Somaliland, the Ambassador Knudsen visited Mr. Muse in Hargeisa Prison. This account is confirmed by multiple custodial personnel and Ministry of Justice staff.

According to Mr. Muse, Ambassador Knudsen was none too pleased with him talking about his case to the media “she practically yelled at me and said this could make things a lot worse for me, though I don’t understand anything worse they could do to me than to leave me to rot in prison illegally” he said when recounting his meeting with the Ambassador at the Prison Warden’s office.

Danish Ambassador Mette Knudsen would neither confirm or deny the meeting but stated that Mr. Muse has every right to speak to the media.

Consent to release information to Somaliland Government.

In this meeting, the Ambassador provided a stack of paperwork to Mr. Muse to sign which he declined pending consultation with his legal team.

Looking at these documents the Ambassador asked Mr. Muse to sign, it looks like the Danish Government is asking Mr. Muse to give his consent to allow the them to share information about his case with the Government of Somaliland.

This is significant as the entire case against him in Somaliland is built on the premise that Denmark has already provided information including witnesses that led to his conviction.

According to legal experts we have spoken to, Denmark would not have been able to share any information about Mr. Muse, the same way they are unable to answer any question due to “professional secrecy” and if anyone provided any information about him without his consent, that would be against Danish law.

It appears, Ambassador Knudsen is trying to retroactively correct this discrepancy.

One bizarre thing, Mr. Muse’s attorney noticed is that all of trials were held around Christmas time, when most Danish staff would be out of the region back to Denmark to celebrate the holidays with family. He thinks this is a way to provide them with plausible deniability that they were not around when he was sentenced.

According to Mr. Muse’s legal team, the Danish government never protested his incarceration or demanded that his court proceedings minimum legal standards instead, he states they were complicit in having his arrested without proper trial.

Mr. Sekyere, the victim was born to an African father and Danish mother. To many Danes, he is one of them, while Mr. Muse and many other immigrants are considered to have failed to assimilate with the Danish culture society in general. Even though Mr. Muse speaks perfect Danish and has spent the bulk of his life there, he contends because of xenophobia Denmark does not consider him Danish.

Somaliland on its part insists that Mr. Muse’s multiple court proceedings and conviction is lawful and that they were given access to evidence and witnesses that led them to ascertain of his guilt. Something his legal team has consistently said were untrue.

Mr. Muse in his prison bunk in Hargeisa central jail.

Mr. Muse says that both his adopted country of Denmark and his native Somaliland have failed him, and colluded to imprison him illegally.

When asked about what he thinks Somaliland would gain from putting him in jail Mr. Muse responded amusingly “Who do you think pays the salaries of these guards, the electricity and gives an [expletive] ton of money to Somaliland government? Denmark or as you know them, DANIDA does! Look, its very simple have been literally sold out for aid money”.

“I am not bitter, but I truly believe that my rights as a Danish citizen have been thoroughly violated, regardless of the alleged crime because as of today I have not been convicted of a crime. I am willing to stand trial in Denmark and would be using every legal option available to me as a Danish citizen to ensure those that have put me in their private Guantanamo Bay to answer for their crimes as well” says Muse through teeth clinging a lit cigarette.

NOTICE
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Based on a work at https://54.176.96.186/wordpress.

Somaliland Government Welcomes UN Security Council’s continued Weapons Embargo on Somalia

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Staff

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November 17, 2018

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A newly energized Somaliland Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation issued press statement welcoming the United Nation Security Council’s continued weapons embargo on Somalia on 14th of October.

In the statement, the Somaliland government reiterated Somalia’s lack of real influence on events on the ground in Somalia and its inability prevent Al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups from purchasing uniforms and other military equipment to wage their war on Somali citizens and threatening Somaliland.

“Somaliland Government believes that any weapons provided to Somalia administration is a real threat against the Government of Somaliland, its neighboring states and international peace” the statement continued, that Somaliland strongly condemns any state that provides weapons to Somalia.

The statement also welcomed the peaceful resolution of the Ethiopian, Eritrean and Djibouti disputes and added that “Somaliland government is encouraging the members of the Security Council, IGAD, Africa Union and United Nations to supports efforts to resume the bilateral talks between Somaliland and Somalia for the benefit of the regional and international peace.”

Somaliland government also highlighted its continued contribution to to regional and international peace, security and political stability over the past 27 years. “Somaliland yet remains to fight against terrorism, arms smuggling, human trafficking, regional, and international crimes to promote regional economic integration is a national priority for Somaliland.”

Read the entire statement below

press release on security council Download

Exclusive Interview with Wassim Haroun of CONSER – (Part 1 – Xumboweyne Dam)

By

Staff

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November 16, 2018

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In this two part interview, we speak with Wassim Haroun of CONSER, the firm that constructed Xumboweyne dam and is currently working on the Berbera Corridor project. We discuss the dam’s current state and much much more.

Somaliland Chronicle: Mr Haroun could you tell us more about yourself and your firm CONSER?

Wassim Haroun: CONSER is an engineering firm that was started in 1969 in the UAE and then officially re-registered in 1972 when the UAE was formally established. As consultants and over the span of almost 50 years in the Arabian Gulf region, the company had designed and supervised a multitude of projects spanning infrastructure, buildings and towers, bridges and roads, dams and canals, and a slew of transportation projects of all forms.

Somaliland Chronicle: What are some of the projects you and CONSER have implemented in recent years, your career highlights so to speak.

Wassim Haroun: At CONSER we have re-focused on our infrastructure and water heritage,and as such over the last decade, we started a huge drive to re-emerge as oneof the leading regional firms in these fields.

As such lately in the UAE we have finalized the design and are in the process of supervising one of the largest and complicated road projects in the Emirate of Fujairah (called the E99 road) as well as a number of medium sized various infrastructure projects.

In Oman we are also in the closing stages of supervising a number of road and highway projects that we had designed.

In Somaliland, we concluded the defect and liability period on the Xumboweyne dam – the largest concrete structure in the Somaliland, and we are in the process of the design portion of the rehabilitation of the Berbera to Tog Wajaleh road.

Overt he last 49 years we have designed and supervised over 40,000 Km of highways,well over 100 bridges, over 148 dams, countless buildings and villas. Our portfolio reflects our heritage and can be downloaded from our website (which is being reimagined)

Specifically when you ask about career highlights I wish to note that CONSER is a company with numerous associates and senior engineers, we are not a one man outfit, we believe in specialized engineers to suit each solution. The overall highlight of all our operation sis that we are true to one thing at the end, we are caretakers of the clients trust, and we will do our utmost to deliver the best value for money.

Somaliland Chronicle: Somaliland is lacking critical infrastructure to get it on the path to lasting and tangible development. The expansion of the port is a huge step in this direction. As an engineer who has worked all over the world, what do you see the most pressing infrastructural need that Somaliland should focus on?

Wassim Haroun: Before I answer your question specifically let me tell you what my outlook is for Somaliland.

Somalilands’ lack of infrastructure – although apparent –needs to be a complementary part of an overall master plan where infrastructure is an enabler not a goal. The basics are naturally all required, but it is vital to address the requirements with a wholly unique approach for Somaliland, and not just copy what has been done in other places just because it is the norm.

Every country has a unique set of circumstances and requirements,and this is exactly what needs to be done in Somaliland. Once the masterplan (the economic development masterplan that is) is done and PUBLISHED then it becomes easy to justify not only one project but a 20 year plan as then you would be able to prepare an economic sustainable approach to all your expenditure.

Also Somaliland has a unique advantage that needs to be capitalized upon, and that is the fact that it has a clean canvas to work with and no burden of a dated infrastructure debt. De-facto Somaliland can approach its needs with an outlook of leap-frogging the world in terms of technology and applications and instead of applying conservative old technologies from the last century is to begin investing in tomorrow’s solutions. As an example let us look at roads – for which Somaliland has an acute need for – the first question that should be asked is WHY. Naturally transportation is the answer, people, goods, livestock etc.. But are roads the only answer?What is the projected traffic? Can we solve it with mass transit or even more adventurous technologies.

Back to specifics, yes there are acute needs that all need to be addressed within the framework of the economic development of all regions, but I would start with Water (potable and agricultural – with a focus on smaller towns and villages first and not just the capital) then Energy(again rural first), then transportation for economic clusters – which should naturally develop once the basics of water and energy are put in place. Overall the focus should be on the development of economic and life clusters outside the capital as that would bring the cost of infrastructure per capita lower.

Somaliland Chronicle: We want to talk to you about Xumboweyne dam to understand what state it is in. Basically there is a lot of information about it out there but we want to hear it from you. Tell us as much as you can about Xumboweyne dam and How was the site of the dam chosen, were any feasibility studies conducted to ensure it was the most appropriate location for the construction of the dam?

Haroun Wassim: Allow me first to give the background and history. There was a promise made by His Highness Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed – Minister of Presidential Affairs in the UAE to build 5 dams in Somaliland.

At the early stages of the investigations that were made by the ministry of water, and through the collaboration with the UAE government represented by Khalifa foundation, the SL government put forward many sites for the potential 5 dams,we were engaged at that time to assess all of them including locations such as Berbera, Laas Canoud, Adi Adiye, Burco & Waheen. All locations were jointly visited with members of the Ministry of Water back in 2014.

Subsequent to the visits, and the initial report, a decision was made by our clients to start with Waheen (Despite our report clearly mentioning that Waheen would not be economically feasible AT ALL. Never the less, we were engaged to proceed.

When we started mobilizing for more detailed studies, we were able to convince the client that Waheen was highly problematic – in FULL COORDINATION AND AGREEMENT WITH THE MINISTRY OF WATER IN SL. The client requested an alternative on condition that it does not exceed the allocated budget. At that point in time The Ministry personnel asked us to look at the Xumboweyne area as the preferred area for a dam. We subsequently visited many sites along the wadi and finally agreed on the current location due to its geological advantages of being on a mass of totally impervious Basalt. It was agreed, and we proceeded with further studies all on the basis of the location being chosen by the ministry.

Upon completing the detailed studies, it was concluded that it would be a massive concrete structure (to withstand the enormous flow forces) and the size and height were allocated with adherence to the budget as required. Also in the process of the initial design report and before any construction, we clearly stated 3 critical issues: The first is that there are no population centers in the immediate vicinity, and for the dam to be a success there needs to be a follow up project for using the water from the dam (moving forward in the timeline, and beyond our scope at the time, we presented many ideas to the heads of the local community as well as to the various ministers and business people, for how this dam could be capitalized upon and return huge benefits and profits). The second is that the dam will need periodic maintenance from siltation as it will totally be filled with sediment every 2 years (For this issue too, we provided a full economic study of how the silt could be used productively and economically to basically pay for the periodic maintenance). And thirdly that the DAM IN NO WAY WOULD SERVE TO RECHARGE THE DEEP WATER TABLE THAT THE XUMBOWEYNE WELLS TAP INTO. Based on the report, both the ministry and the UAE government approved and instructed us to move from the design phase to the construction phase.

Somaliland Chronicle: As you know, water is a major problem in Somaliland, which is hampering many aspects of development including agriculture and food security. Xumboweyne dam was intended to relieve some of the water shortages in the area. What was your role in the dam construction?

Haroun Wassim: CONSER was appointed by Khalifa bin Zayed Foundation for Charitable Works to deliver a Turnkey Dam project, from design to construction management.

Somaliland Chronicle: Did you and your firm CONSER implement projects of this type in the past or was this your firm dam project?

Haroun Wassim: YES, many. CONSER has one of the largest portfolio in the southern hemisphere in terms of dam design in arid or semi-arid areas. Our experience spans 40 years in this field with a little over 150 dams designed and executed.

Somaliland Chronicle: The previous administration of Somaliland has hailed the construction of the dam an astounding success, while the current Minister of Water Resources called it a total failure. What is the dam’s current status? And is it serving its intended purpose?

Haroun Wassim: Political jockeying aside, the dam was designed and built exactly to the requirements that were made to us at the time and according to the study report that was approved. The purpose of the dam was expressed clearly in the early stages of the studies that were made, it was to be a surface water reservoir AND a block (dam) for the alluvial water that escapes in the sand layer in the Xumboweyne wadi to be used for pastoral irrigation and farming in the local vicinity.

Somaliland Chronicle: Success can be subjective; do you personally consider the dam to be a success?

Haroun Wassim: NO, a project is only successful if it is used. With no one using the dam it cannot be deemed a success. That is why 4 months prior to completion we proposed at least 3 possible uses and subsequent investment projects that could be made to capitalize on the dam. Our proposals were initially met with excitement and then a standard response “THAT WOULD BE GREAT, PLEASE TELL THE UAE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE IT FOR US”…. One of the projects was about to be secured from yet another donor in the UAE with a whole farming village to be built on the upper banks near the dam, the funding stopped once the vile rhetoric started as part of the political campaigns.

Somaliland Chronicle: When you were working on the Xumboweyne dam, was there any corruption and did you and CONCER experience what you may consider shakedown from Government officials or local community?

Haroun Wassim: Although the Xumboweyne dam project was potentially open to corrupt activities, altogether the support at the time from the Abudhabi government, the Somaliland government officials and the community elders was one where the main driver was the smooth success of the construction of the dam.

If there were any demands made at all, they were justified by services that aided in informing the immediate public of the potential benefits that they would have and again ensuring that work could proceed. The simple answer is that from petty attempts that were rebutted by myself and my staff there were no corrupt activities that in any way threatened the integrity of the project.

Somaliland Chronicle: The Hargeisa Water Agency is currently working water sources expansion project but their plans does not include Xumboweyne Dam, why is that?

Haroun Wassim: I have gone on record many times in saying that it is not economically feasible to bring water from a lower elevation to satisfy the need of cities in higher elevations, especially when the source of the water comes from the higher areas. To pump water from Xumboweyne area (850 m above sea level) to Hargeisa (1,300 m above sea level) would mean spending $16,000 per day in pumping costs to satisfy the needs of only one quarter of Hargeisa. That translates to almost 6 million dollars a year. NOT GOOD (a Trump quote).

Exclusive – In Gondor Summit, Ethiopian PM Abiy Asks Farmajo For Naval Base in Zeila, Somaliland

By

Staff

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November 13, 2018

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The Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed concluded a second round of intense negotiation with Presidents of Somalia and Eritrea Mr Mohamed Abdillahi Farmajo and Asias Afwarki in Bahir Dar on the shores of Lake Tana in northern Ethiopia.

Press release on the recently finalized tripartite meeting and visit to the Amhara Regional State led by H.E. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. pic.twitter.com/EupgrMBFn0
— Office of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia (@PMEthiopia) November 12, 2018

የኢትዮጵያ, ሶማሊያ እና ኤርትራ መሪዎች ያቀረቡት የጋራ መግለጫ።
A Joint Statement from the Leaders of Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea. pic.twitter.com/vQbI2awMdg
— Office of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia (@PMEthiopia) November 10, 2018

Though the official cover of the summit was to convince the Somali President to support the lifting of arms and other sanctions from Eritrea in the UN Security Council’s October 14th meeting, the real discussion centered around an Ethiopian naval base in Zeila and Ethiopia’s 19% stake in Berbera Port in Somaliland.

Mr Shide then Ethiopian Transportant Minister at DP World deal signing in Dubai
Ethiopian Finance Minister Ahmed Shide with PM Abiy and Farmajo

According to sources who traveled with the Somali President to the summit, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed his nations desire to build a naval base in Zeila where Farmajo has countered with a demand of his own that Ethiopia abandon its 19% stake in Berbera Port.

This account of the meeting is confirmed by western diplomatic sources based in Addis Ababa.

Prime Minister Abiy’s demand for a naval base in the Red Sea echoes Ethiopia’s Deputy Chief of Staff of the National Defense Force, General Birhanu Jula’s statement to the media about the reestablishment of Ethiopia’s naval forces.

It is unclear if any agreement were reached in the mutual demand to have Ethiopia abandon its 19% share of Somaliland’s Berbera Port for a concession to Ethiopia for naval base in Somaliland territory by the Somali President.

Former President of Somaliland with the Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia

Ethiopian policy towards Somaliland has has pivoted to Mogadishu since Prime Minister Abiy took office where he sought closer ties with Somalia and particularly President of Somalia Mohamed Farmaajo. Somalia’s territorial integrity has been a recurring theme in every communique he has issued with Farmajo.

Prime Minister Abiy’s dealing with Somalia for territory in Somaliland is in stark contrast to a meeting his predecessor had with Somaliland’s previous administration of President Ahmed Mohamoud Siilaanyo where Ethiopian naval base in Zeila was discussed.

It is unclear how Prime Minister Abiy plans take ownership of any territorial commitment made by Somalia’s Federal in Somaliland.

A high ranking official from Somaliland government who did not want to talk on the record said “Farmajo is good at giving away things that are not his or even under his control, his sphere of influence is tighter than his necktie. Somaliland’s fate is in the hands of its people, no one else decides for us”

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed with the President of Djibouti Ismail Omar Guelleh

Djibouti has been left out of both meeting by Abiy, Farmajo and Afwarki but any discussion of Ethiopian forces in Zeila brings it in this mix however indirectly. Djibouti’s influence in the Zeila territory is cemented by its tribal composition.

Though establishment of Ethiopian Naval forces has been mentioned by Abiy back in June and the idea seems to have come up repeatedly, military analysts state that that Ethiopia current navy is embryonic at best and lacks the ability to project power overseas.

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (L) meets Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (R) at National Palace in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on June 15, 2018.

It is unclear how the United Arab Emirates will percieve PM Abiy’s move to deal directly with Farmajo to try to acquire a territory for a naval base and abandon his country’s commitment to Berbera DP World port deal.

UAE has bailed out Ethiopia as recently as June 2018 with a billion dollar grant and additional two billion in direct investment and loans.

Major Reshuffle: President Bihi Sacks the Entire Leadership of the Ministry of Finance

By

Staff

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November 10, 2018

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President of Somaliland His Excellency Muse Bihi Abdi made the biggest shakes up of his administration today wiping the slate clean at the Ministry of Finance by replacing the entire leadership team.

The Minister the fared the worst in the reshuffle and has been relegated to mere member of the Higher Education Committee. Sources close to the now ex-minister are unsure if he would accept his new appointment.

The Deputy Finance Minister Mohamed Ahmed Dahir has been reassigned to the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry of Finance has been marred by one controversy after another has engaged in an endless turf war with other government departments including recent clash with the Accountant General when the Minister of Finance tried to make staffing changes.

Response by the Accountant General to Former Minister of Finance on Staffing changes at his agency

One of the most serious infractions by the Minister was an extrajudicial arrest of a private citizen in mid October.

The President’s removal of the entire Finance Ministry team was characterized as a much needed course correction by many political observers in Somaliland.

Yassin Faratoon, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

One high level government official who did not want to be identified said “It was a amateur hour at the Finance Ministry. These guys fell on their faces on day one, rushing to the cameras to announce policy after policy with no thought as to how to implement it. It took a while but and I am glad the President has put some adults in charge of this important ministry”

The new Minister of Finance Dr Saad Ali Shire

President Bihi chose a trained economist and a stable operator, Dr Saad Ali Shire, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to lead the Ministry of Finance.

Faratoon with Hared Odah and the new Director General of the Ministry of Education

Dr Shire is replaced by the former Minister of Education Yassin Faratoon who will be heading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Additional changes in President Bihi’s administration include, the removal of the Director General of the Ministry of Education Mr Hared Odah who was replaced with former Director General of the Ministry of Investment Mr. Ahmed Abokor Mohamed.

Sources from the Presidential Palace indicate that President Bihi has summoned all those affected by the reshuffle to personally convey his message of dissatisfaction or reassignment to their new post.

Correction and an apology: We have incorrectly stated that the Director General of the Ministry of Finance has been fired, this is incorrect. The DG is unaffected by this reshuffle.

Dangerously Unregulated: The Urgent Need for Demilitarization, Oversight and Reform of Somaliland Police Force

By

Staff

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November 6, 2018

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The Republic of Somaliland is one of the safest countries in Africa despite the fact that it is not yet internationally recognized. It has achieved a level of peace and security that is the envy of many African countries.

Somaliland has been through many challenges since its independence 1991, and some of those challenges still remain. Many successive administrations struggled to curtail tribal conflicts where some such as the one in Eil-Afweyn in Sanaag region have proven especially difficult and continue to be a work in progress.

As Somaliland’s democracy and institutions transition from basic to fully mature organizations, the need for oversight becomes an important part of creating accountability and ensuring every government institution operates within the confines of the law.

At the moment, one of the most important organizations in Somaliland is its law enforcement and the police is the one organization that interacts with the public more frequently than any other government organization it requires an urgent for demilitarization, reform and oversight of its operations.

Militarized Police Force

AK47 the finest instrument of death in the 21st century

A Police Officer posing for photo in front of SOMCABLE HQ

Somaliland Police is not a civilian organization, at least not when one looks at their standard issue and fully automatic AK47 assault rifles, regardless of where they are deployed, even at a soccer match.

This lethal weapon is slung on the shoulder of every police officer in Somaliland even in the middle of major cities where the most danger they face is a breaking up a fight or occasionally dealing with an unruly street vendor.

While everyone in Somaliland is familiar with it, lets give you a refresher as to how lethal it is.

The classic AK47 or Kalashnikov Model 47 is finest instrument of death in the 21st century. It fires 7.62 x 33mm round capable of penetrating 10 inches of solid steel at the rate of 600 rounds per minute and it is effective at a range of 700 yards.

It is an instrument of war designed for one thing to only – to kill.

There are documented cases of brutality by Somaliland Police where some cases have resulted in civilian deaths that have never been properly investigated and no one was ever held accountable.

This issue has spanned successive administrations in Somaliland and though no fatal encounters have occurred while President Bihi has been in office, there has been cases of extrajudicial arrests.

Somaliland’s highly specialized special police units.

The need to employ lethal force to counter a clear and present danger to public safety is a necessary capability that any state needs to retain, and for this very purpose, Somaliland happens to have at its disposal the very best. A highly skilled and specialized police units that are intended for counter terrorism, rapid reaction and deployment. These units are even less accountable and their actions shrouded in secrecy.

The existence of these highly specialized and capable units negates the need to arm regular police units with a fully automatic AK47 assault rifle.

The ubiquitous presence of police with automatic weapons creates an image of insecurity and imminent conflict.

Accountability and Oversight

There is zero accountability and oversight over Somaliland Police.

Law #63/2013 also known as the Police Law has robust mechanisms to institute oversight and accountability on Somaliland police, though signed into law, its implementation has been on hold for unknown reasons.

There is no record of the Police Commander, General Abdillahi Fadal Iman ever discussing #63/2013 where it is in the process of getting adopted.

According to high ranking police officials and others who have known him since his days as a police inspector, the general view of the Police Commander Abdillahi Fadal Iman is that his sole preoccupation is to stay on the good side of the President that he has little time for anything else and will never question the legality of an order given to him, even at times by peers such as ministers. Privately, he is colloquially known as the President’s second bodyguard.

Even though the Ministry of Interior has oversight and supervisory role over Police Force, the Minister, Mohamed Kahin has been hopelessly tied up trying to put out multiple tribal conflicts in the country’s East since his appointment to the post.

There is a culture of impunity and that culture is personified by the Police Spokesman Mr. Faisal Hiis. He has a habit of making up laws on the fly while routinely threatening citizens with arrest. In every address to the media he cites multiple laws that are often out of context.

Here is his latest public spat with a news outlet that republished a report by SONSAF regarding Somaliland Police.

Somaliland Police Spokesman Mr. Faisal Hiis

In this short clip, the Police Spokesman manages to cite not only non-existent laws but blatantly makes up laws to fit the narrative that a news outlet has committed a crime. We are unsure of the Police Spokesman’s legal background but his tenuous grasp of basic facts is inescapable.

For instance, Article 184 of the Penal Code is not what he described. Here is Article 184 in its entirety.

Mr Hiis is not only the Police Spokesman but is the actual commander of Somaliland’s Traffic Police. He has no legal background.

Mr Hiis is one of the highest ranking police officers in Somaliland and what he says and how he says it matters. His out of breath torrent of threats are the public face of Somaliland Police, his hostile demeanor is what many police officers take their cues as to how to deal with the public. Intimidation and threat of physical harm or arrest is their primary modus operandi.

Mr Hiis’s behavior is the only guide many police officers in Somaliland have as a leadership example to follow. While the majority are incredibly hardworking and honorable citizens with a sense of duty, there are many whose default mode of interacting with the public is intimidation and threat of either physical harm or arrest.

The video below is the latest episode of a cop interacting with a street vendor. Many street vendors and stubborn and block major roads but the manner in which he is manhandled seems to be outside of the law.

This is Hargeisa.@GuleidJ @Ibraahimkhs @SomalilandChro1 @MariaGaheir @AYMBarwaaqo @IlyoZaan @HarunMaruf @ItsMutai pic.twitter.com/0SvBk5wikS
— Khadar Nouh (@Kadarnouh) October 30, 2018

Moving Somaliland Police from its current militaristic posture to a traditional civilian law enforcement agency whose primary role is to preserve life and property is a massive undertaking.

Assigning equal priorities to teach civil liberties and citizen’s rights and weapons and tactical training in police academy will ensure that graduates will help an elderly citizen or school children cross the street and be equally proficient in preserving life and property.

Law #63/2013 – The Police Law

One of the first pieces of legislation President Muse Bihi Abdi signed as soon as he took office is Law Number 63/2013 generally referred to as the Somaliland Police Law.

Though Law #63/2013 codifies many important things but makes no mention of demilitarization of the police or softening their posture to a a kinder version of its current version, it specifically imposes a sufficient level of oversight that is currently missing.

It has been almost a year since President Muse Bihi Abdi signed Law #63/2013 and to date it has not been implemented.

We have been unable to find anyone who would speak on the record regarding the implementation of this law and if there anything that is preventing it from being adopted.

Read Law #63/2013 in its entirety here or download the file Download

Exclusive – Nicholas Haysom Special Representative for Somalia and Head UNSOM to Visit Somaliland

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Staff

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November 3, 2018

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The newly appointed Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) Nicholas Haysom is coming to Somaliland for a two day visit starting today.

Mr. Haysom a South African native who has served under late President Nelsom Mandella as Chief Legal and Constitutional Adviser and has been Representative for South Sudan took the helm of the UNSOM mission in Somalia from Michael Keating just 50 days ago is headed to Somaliland for a high level meeting with the government of Somaliland.

President Muse Bihi Abdi meeting former Head of UNSOM Michael Keating

It is unclear what topics will be discussed but diplomatic sources in Nairobi state that Mr. Haysom is determined to mend the fence with Somaliland after the tense and adversarial atmosphere created by his predecessor, Michael Keating, whose impartiality Somaliland has officially protested.

President Bihi’s Cabinet meeting on Thursday 11/1

On Thursday’s, the President and his cabinet on their weekly cabinet meeting discussed re-evaluation of Somaliland government’s working relationship with United Nation and other international agencies. No other specifics or the purpose of the re-evaluation was released to the public. It is unclear if Mr. Haysom’s visit is related to this matter or whether it will be an agenda item in his meetings with the President and members of his cabinet.

Mr. Haysom is expected to meet the President of Somaliland HE Muse Bihi Abdi, the Vice President Abdirahman Abdallahi Ismail Saylici, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dr Saad Ali Shire, Minister of Interior Mohamed Kahin Ahmed.

Mr Haysom also known as ‘Fink’ has visited parts of neighboring Somalia since he took over the UNSOM mission and has been in Kismayo few days ago.

Mr. Keating’s tenure as Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) is considered a failure. His last report to the United Nations Security Council underscored the depth to which Somalia has sunk in terms of security and rule of law but also painted a rosy picture of governance by Somalia’s Federal Government that has been largely disputed.

Exclusive Interview with Jonathan Starr – Founder of Abaarso School in Somaliland

By

Staff

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October 31, 2018

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Jonathan Starr, the founder of Abaarso School in the outskirts of Hargeisa, discusses future plans for the school, expansion plans and challenges he faced in Somaliland.

Somaliland Chronicle: Mr. Starr, we really appreciate you giving us the opportunity to talk to you and Abaarso School to learn a little bit more about you and the school’s operations and future plans.

Somaliland Chronicle: There is quite a bit of literature about your background and how you started the Abaarso School but out of all of the countries you could’ve picked, why did you choose Somaliland? Tell us the first time you visited Somaliland

Jonathan Starr: First I want to thank you for doing this interview. We always appreciate the opportunity to help people understand Abaarso School.

I have a Somali uncle named Billeh Osman who is originally from Erigavo, attended Sheikh Secondary School, and then came to America for his university studies. While in America he married my aunt and enjoyed a long career with the United Nations. From the time I was a child Billeh had told me about his home country of Somaliland, which he spoke of with great pride. My career was in finance where I had made some money and now wanted to make a contribution to the world. Billeh convinced me to come visit Somaliland in 2008 to see if my contribution could be there. Before I’d even left the 2 week trip I’d committed to starting a great school. I returned to America where I worked on the plans and then moved to Somaliland to found Abaarso in 2009.

Somaliland Chronicle: Abaarso School is feeder to prestigious universities around the world, particularly the United States. So far how many Abaarso Students were accepted into international schools?

Jonathan Starr: Over 130 Abaarso students have continued their education around the world, including at Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Cambridge. In total these students have earned over $23 million in scholarships. These students are showing the world just how smart and capable Somalis are while also exposing America and other countries to Somali culture. Abaarso students are great ambassadors for all the wonderful potential in the country.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the scholarships is that Abaarso students are going abroad so as to develop new skills that can be brought back to their country. Abaarso students are now graduating from foreign universities and are already making contributions to society.

Somaliland Chronicle: Does the school give special consideration or programs to students with disabilities?

Jonathan Starr: Abaarso seeks a student body who is dedicated to improving themselves and their country. While this is not a perfect process, the school continuously works to improve its admissions policies. As part of the process, the administration takes into consideration students’ backgrounds and how much they have overcome to reach Abaarso. Students with disabilities have needed to face an extra challenge to succeed and they should receive credit for that. The school also seeks students from small villages and orphanages for the same reason. These students have proven themselves by overcoming their tough environments.

Somaliland Chronicle: While the school is doing a great job there is much more work that needs to happen in the education sector in Somaliland. Are you doing any collaboration with the Ministry of Education or other privately owned institutions to help them up their teaching standards?

Jonathan Starr: Abaarso enjoys a positive relationship with the Somaliland government and the Ministry of Education. We were honored this summer when the President invited Abaarso alumni and faculty to the Presidential Palace. We are happy to work with the Ministry of Education to improve Somaliland as well as to share our educational methods with other schools.

Somaliland Chronicle: To maximize your effort of making an impact in Somaliland and it is future, does it make sense to train recent university graduates to become teachers and equip them with Abaarso School’s trade secrets to perhaps educate more student than Abaarso School alone can accommodate?

Jonathan Starr: That is almost exactly what we’re doing except that we are starting with recent secondary school graduates. A year ago Abaarso School launched Barwaaqo University, which is a 4 year all-women boarding university for the purpose of training teachers. We are extremely pleased with how the students progressed last year and we expect them to continue improving themselves even after they become teachers. With the Barwaaqo graduates out in the world, Abaarso’s quality of education will spread around the country.

Somaliland Chronicle: Abaarso School is Accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and though listed as Somalia, Somaliland is the only country with a school accredited by this prestigious body, tell us what kind of impact this has to students who seek admission to overseas universities.

Jonathan Starr: The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation was a great stamp of approval for Abaarso School and for the wider Somaliland community. It tells the world that Somaliland can host world-class institutions. Clearly excellence can be attained in Somaliland so investors and donors should take an increased interest in the country.

NEASC accreditation benefits Abaarso students in many ways. It means that universities all around the world view Abaarso students at the equivalent of US graduates, which makes many more universities possible for them to attend. It also tells potential teachers, administrators, and donors that Abaarso has been thoroughly vetted and approved.

Somaliland Chronicle: Are there any future plans to open branches in other parts of the country?

Jonathan Starr: We have extensive plans to go further into Somaliland education, just as we’ve already shown by opening Barwaaqo University. Barwaaqo is a boarding university for girls, and similarly we’ll want to eventually launch a boarding university for boys. In addition, we’ll be opening primary schools in the coming years, first in Hargeisa and then in other Somaliland cities. We want to make sure many more families get access to our quality of education.

Somaliland Chronicle: Were Abaarso Tech University and Abaarso School affiliated at some point? We understand there is some kind of dispute, are you at liberty to talk about that?

Jonathan Starr: I originally founded and oversaw Abaarso Tech University, initially with classes held on Abaarso School’s campus. This is how it got the Abaarso name and why it started with business, which is my background. There were some great classes with students like Munir Abusita, Ahmed Elmi, and Saeed Abdulkadir, as we discussed business strategy in Somaliland. However, those early years for Abaarso were very challenging as we were dealing with individuals trying to kick us out of the country. Ultimately we decided that we couldn’t make commitments to new students until the situation improved. For this reason Abaarso School did not take a new class of students in 2012 and we felt little choice but to close down Abaarso Tech University that same year.

After we closed Abaarso Tech University, someone else used all our old logos to start what they called Abaarso Tech University. This was not in Abaarso nor was it in any way affiliated with Abaarso School, so it begs the question of why someone would use that name rather than developing their own brand? Later we changed our Abaarso School logo, but unfortunately the new institution calling itself Abaarso Tech University decided to change their logo to look almost exactly like our new logo. This has caused significant confusion, which I can only assume was the reason why this group chose to use the Abaarso name and copy the Abaarso logo. I find that many people are still confused by this, thinking that in some way Abaarso School and Abaarso Tech University are related. They are absolutely not.

To be clear, I wish all universities in Somaliland well. I just want the people running the university calling itself Abaarso Tech University to use a different name and be clear that we are in no way related. This confusion is not fair to the Somaliland people.

Somaliland Chronicle: You have undoubtedly run into challenges in Somaliland, could you share with us some challenges you faced in Somaliland and how you managed to resolve them?

Jonathan Starr: To say we’ve run into challenges is an understatement. We’ve had people trying to kick us out of the country from very early on. Even now there are particular individuals spreading absurd stories online in an attempt to bully us into leaving. Since such people have never cared about the truth, it is clear that they have other motivations, including jealousy, power, and even politics. There are certainly people out there who do not like the positive publicity that Abaarso has brought to Somaliland.

We’ve had one simple strategy of dealing with these challenges, which is to just continue to produce great students. Abaarso students have gone on to success that showed the world just how great Somali students can be. What’s more, they are deeply committed to helping their country. The truth about Abaarso’s positive impact will continue to become clearer as Somali society benefits more and more from Abaarso students.

Somaliland Chronicle: Aside from bringing high quality education, you are also bringing a much needed international exposure to what Somaliland has achieved. What would you tell the world about Somaliland and it’s people?

Jonathan Starr: When you look at Abaarso’s success despite a small budget and reliance on many foreigners, it becomes clear that a lot is possible in Somaliland. Over the past 10 years I’ve also seen the development mindset getting more and more ingrained in Somalilanders. When I first arrived there seemed to be a fear of anything new, and some bad folks would spread those fears to keep their own position in society. Fear was essentially a business tactic to stop competition. However, now Somalilanders have gotten used to foreigners, especially with all those who’ve come in from the Middle East adding new skills to the country. The return of many talented diaspora has also brought innovation. So whereas a decade ago there were so few projects that you could know about all of them, today change is happening all the time. I’m not claiming it is all easy, but with each year I see the country moving forward. I’m very excited for what the next couple decades will bring.

Somaliland Chronicle: We want to thank you for your time and wish to speak to you in the future. Good luck with the School and thank you for the work you are doing for our people and Somaliland.

Jonathan Starr: Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity.

`Ides of March` in Somaliland – Eulogy For Hersi Haji Hassan’s Brave Political Career

By

Staff

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October 30, 2018

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Today we mourn the death of the political career of Mr. Hersi Ali Haji Hassan. May it rest in peace. A political career wielded by the most powerful minister to ever grace Somaliland’s political arena and currently the leader of the Wadani opposition group. It is a political career that we will all miss and wonder what it could have turned into, perhaps a president one day but it was not meant to be.

Maybe, we don’t know.

We want to make sure that people understand Mr. Hersi himself is fine, we cannot stress this enough, his political career however decided to throw itself off a roof of a short building and onto oncoming stampeding hordes of social media trolls and turning itself into a punching bag for former colleagues, rivals and the general citizenry.

The cause of death of this illustrious political career is a gross miscalculation that has caused it major injury in the past, in fact 3 years ago to be exact but it survived and came back stronger and almost carried the opposition party across the finish line to victory. Amazing!

This time, the miscalculation came by way of a new career this supernaturally ambitious political career has tried its hand on – writing a memoir to share of its exploits and the heights it grazed with the general public.

This literary work has ignited Somaliland’s media into a flaming ball of he said she said. This is a work the likes of which has never been seen in Somaliland before for it turned ordinary people into an overnight constitutional scholars, prosecutors, book critics and the occasional human shields.

The Death of Julius Caesar by Vincenzo Camuccini

The content of the book though written in Somali has confused most people and they are finding it difficult to get the same reading and have caused some to quote other famous literary work by characterizing it as a new interpretation of Ides of March set in modern Somaliland.

Others have hailed it the ultimate truth teller as far as political careers go and finally informing the public on important chapters in Somaliland’s history, albeit 8 years late.

The political career by itself was helpless to try to quiet the crescendo of misunderstanding that is caused by the book and has enlisted Mr. Hersi, the real Mr. Hersi to explain the meaning of this green colored object he is holding in his hand. The event was as hyped by Horn Cable TV and was every bit worth the wait as Mr. Hersi showcased his oratory skills next to a hapless reporter on live television using just the power of repetition and won the debate against himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AGkZqMocPM

Mr. Hersi’s political career is being mourned privately by many other political careers, some already on life support and others suffering mini scandals of their own until this brave and selfless political career took one for the team and gave a much needed reprieve to these other political careers that were increasingly in the public eye.

In an act of true altruism, Mr. Hersi’s departed political career has given one last gift of throwing itself in front of a marauding hoard of internet trolls, truth tellers and the occasional political scavengers. What we know is that the cause of death is confirmed to be a case of repetitive and chronic political miscalculation.

How to Govern Inefficiently: Multiple Government Agencies Performing the same Function

By

Staff

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October 26, 2018

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In this series, we will examine inefficiencies and duplication of efforts in our government, where multiple agencies perform similar and sometimes exact functions and often compete for resource.

We will be looking at this long standing tradition in Somaliland where critical functions that should be part of a unified system are sliced off as a separate and independent agencies that affect service delivery and create a bureaucratic maze for citizens.

In Somaliland, instead of sacking an under performing official or bringing institutional change to a ministry, the solution is often to create an independent government institution that performs the exact same function.

We will start our series with two competing entities where one exists in the President’s office.

Ministry of Information and National Guidance vs The Information Office of the Presidency

The Ministry of Information and National Guidance is one of the most expensive operations in Somaliland government and the least effective. So ineffective, that even the government itself does not use it to reach broad audience, they prefer private televisions and other news outlets.

Recently, the President’s Office has established it own media department. A department that seems to be in direct competition with the Ministry of Information and National Guidance. It is unclear what the purpose of this office and why the President would sidestep the Ministry but what is clear is how active it is on social media often defending government positions.

This new department in the President’s Office is known as The Information Office of the Presidency and it is said to be the brainchild of Mohamed Ali Bile, the Director General of the Presidency and it is staffed largely by Kulmiye Party’s campaign personnel.

Presidential Director General Mohamed Ali Bile explains the purpose of the President’s Media Department.

It is unclear if the purpose of the Information Office of the Presidency has been established to a fill a specific need or to overcome other difficulties but what is known is that every footage of the President is shot by personnel from this office and is redistributed to other media outlets.

Here is one of the videos produced by the Presidency to highlight President Bihi’s 120th day in office and what his administration has accomplished.

So why does the Presidency need an entire department dedicated to producing content that can be produced by the Ministry of Information? There is a clear technical depth in the videos produced by the Presidency compared to those from Somaliland National Television.

Minister of Information Hon. Abdirahman Abdillahi Farah (Guri-Barwaqo)

The quality of the programming coming out of Hargeisa Radio, Somaliland National Television and Dawan news are nothing more than government announcements and a recap of the President’s day and activities by various ministries. Most often, information that has been in the public domain for hours.

The biggest reason that makes Somaliland’s official media operation dead on arrival is its inability reach audience with current information and live web broadcasts, technologies that are far more cost effective then traditional radio and television broadcasting.

A Somaliland National TV program about media

One may argue there are many older Somalilanders who get their daily dose of news from Radio Hargeisa and Somaliland National Television but this alone cannot justify the millions of dollars to inform few people of the President’s activities.

The beating heart of the information age is the internet and there is no particular place one can find Somaliland National TV programs except for a Youtube channel that does not seem to be updated often and there is a level of neglect that one can immediately sense from the quality of the programming, despite the best effort of the professionals that work on these programs.

Though the Ministry of Information’s media departments are taxpayer funded, they are not open to the opposition and only carry positive news. This could be a contributing factor to their limited reach to wider audience.

It is unclear if the Ministry of Information would be better if the technical talent at the Information Office of the Presidency were to augment their existing staff or if any kind of discussion took place to bridge the knowledge gap before a decision was made to create an entire department in the Presidency that has both cost and creates another layer of bureaucracy into an already complex system of governance.

If bringing Somaliland’s case for recognition to the world or what it has achieved is one of the objectives of these two competing entities, both are sadly falling short of this goal.

Investigative Reports

Media Frenzy

Guilty!

Denmark’s (un)plausible Deniability

Militarized Police Force

Accountability and Oversight

Law #63/2013 – The Police Law

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