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Somalia: Finance Minister Addresses Deteriorating Security in Puntland
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Garowe Online (Garowe)
4 May 2008
Posted to the web 5 May 2008
The finance minister in the Somali self-governing state of Puntland held a press conference Sunday in the port city of Bossaso, 1500km north of the capital Mogadishu.
Finance Minister Mohamed "Gaagaab" Ali told reporters that the regional administration will establish security committees across all neighborhoods in Bossaso to help curb rising crime.
"The [Security] Committees will directly bring information to the police stations," the Finance Minister said, while promising rewards for anyone informing authorities on criminal activities.
He appealed to the people of Puntland to point to all the troublemakers so the region's security forces can take measures to stop crime.
The Finance Minister's comments come on the heels of an ongoing series of discussions between Puntland government officials and traditional elders in the region to ease tension between Puntland police and armed militias.
Last week, Security Minister Abdullahi Said Samatar survived an assassination attempt in Bossaso after unidentified gunmen opened fire on his vehicle.
Two of the attackers were shot and killed by Mr. Samatar's armed guards in the subsequent exchange of gunfire, sources reported.
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It is not clear why the region's finance minister is addressing security issues in Puntland, although government insiders suggested that there is a continuing rift between Mr. Gaagaab and Security Minister Samatar.
The Puntland administration is under increasing domestic pressure following the arbitrary arrests of Somali civilians last week, some of whom were later handed over to Ethiopian intelligence services.
Traditional elders and local human rights groups have strongly condemned the arbitrary detention of unarmed civilians for political reasons.
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