In late October, the Puntland government arrested five men of Ogadeni origin. These men came to Puntland using Somali travel documents provided by Somali authorities in Yemen.
Puntland and Ethiopian security personnel, invited by Puntland authorities, interrogated the prisoners. One of the prisoners, Abdi Mohamed Hassan also known as “Abdi Teerso” was handed over to Ethiopian security. Another prisoner died while in custody. An elderly man from Puntland was arrested by Puntland authorities after he publicly criticized the government.
This is not the first time Puntland authorities have harassed, tortured, killed, and handed over men of Ogadeni origin to Ethiopian security. Over a year ago, two senior members of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) were handed over to Ethiopian security by a Puntland minister. They came, with the permission of Puntland authorities, to discuss the murder of an elder.
In June 2009, I invited President Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud (Farole) of Puntland to testify before my Subcommittee on Somalia. After the hearing, I discussed a number of issues with him, including the targeting and the handing over of Ogadenis to Ethiopian authorities. I was assured then that this would not happen again and that the government would reach out to this community.
In an effort to resolve the recent detention of the five men, I called the President of Puntland to discuss my concerns and strongly urged him to release them without delay. I even proposed that the men be sent to another country where they will be safe. A week passed and nothing happened.
In mid-November, I met again with the President of Puntland and his Interior Minister in Kenya to urge them to release the three men still in detention in Puntland. Again, he pledged to find ways to pardon the prisoners. In fact, Puntland authorities are now threatening non-Puntland Somalis to leave some areas within 48 hours.
I strongly condemn this abusive and dictatorial behavior and demand the immediate release of the prisoners. I also call for those responsible for the killing of the prisoner and intimidation of Ogadenis to be held accountable, including senior officials who authorized these measures. Failure to act quickly on this matter will have serious consequences.
Comments 1 to 2 of 2 Post a comment
I am surpised that the honorable Congressman is perturbed that he is getting a runaround on one particular issue. Step back and realize that he is getting a runaround on most issues, different runsaround from different entities. The UN has never briefed him honestly about their long time facade in Somalia. Payne's own advisors are biased, in my opinion, and represent a view that no one outside of "the international community" in Nairobi would think represents realities on the ground in Somalia. That Puntlanders and Somalilanders have grave concerns about Payne's TFG, a completely fabricated pseudo-government, is obvious to anyone who knows the Somali character. Throw in the Rahanweyn, too, and you have a huge majority of the Somali population that has NO respect for the West and its TFG. The TFG was a bad gamble at the end of Bush's regime, railroaded in Djibouti away from the light of inspection, and one that all Somalis saw as flawed to the point of absurdity. They stuffed the "Parliament" with people, some illiterat, to vote for Sheikh Sharif as the new leader. Now we are telling the regional leaders how to handle their business, and regional Somali leaders know how to evade and avoid this kind of coercion. They have seen false threats from the US/UN/IGAD conglomeration since 1991. You are crying "wolf," and no one believes you anymore.
I recommend that the US and UN start over with an idea that would decentralized the government functions, and not emphasize running the territories by means of a Central Government in Mogadishu. I recommended the same approach in 1993 to UN and US policy makers in the wake of the problems then. They ignored the advice. Now look where their strategy has led them.
Puntland Government abusive and behavior not only Ogadeni Peoples and also puntlanders trips they have pigsty abusive behavior except Mohamuud Saleeban Clans and we are happy when the international community know what is a puntland governments doing ,and this time we revolutionize this administration and we are the Movement is KKP (Kacdoona Kurtumaha Puntland) Many Puntland peoples to deaden homicidal doing This Puntland Administration.
KKP they not except all that actions and we protection lifes of all people in stay in Puntland what eve they came from KKP to request all international government particularly USA ,UK, and other government to have link Somali politically to take action for the criminals leaders Puntland Administrations ..