For Somalis that deeply care about human rights, there has been a general sense of confusion and disappointment with the UN's approach to violations of human rights in "Somaliland". Indeed the UN which has its branches all across Somalia's major cities has met human rights violations in this particular area with apathy. The violations in "Somaliland" typically include article 19 and 20 in the Universal declaration of Human rights which can be read here.
According to NUSOJ's annual press freedom report for 2011 and 2012, "Somaliland" has increased its campaign of silencing independent media and arresting editors for even reporting about human rights violations and corruption. Also According to the secretary general of SOLJA, Mohamed-Rashid Farah :
“More than 60 journalists were arrested in the first six months of 2012 compared to less than 20 journalists in the last six months of 2011,”.
If this trend has continued, we can only imagine the escalation of these violations in 2013. The latest high profile case is Universal TV's suspension from "Somaliland". The suspension stems from a popular satirical clip which pokes fun at the undemocratic practices of the leadership in Hargeisa. Apparently the irony of silencing Universal TV by using undemocratic means has not dawned on those officials.
Brilliant political satire
"Somaliland" however called the clip "anti government propaganda" and proceeded to close down the stations office. But the owner of Universal TV, Ahmed Abukar, rejected the accusations and said :
"It is not only illegal, but it is also the wrong decision and we are saddened by it," "Even if the [Somaliland] administration thought that the television [station] committed a violation, it should have taken the legal route and the court should have clarified what their case against us would have been," he said. "But we view the minister of information's solitary decision to revoke the television station's license as a grave violation against the free press."
That is a great point. Mr. Abukar's statement revels how laws and legal procedures are circumvented and ignored with impunity by these ministers. The ineffectiveness of the courts can also be measured by the fact that not a single judge to this day has pointed this flaw out and objected to the solitary decision made by the ministry of information.
It all comes down to criticism of those in power. In this case it was done through brilliant political satire. It is because of satire one can peacefully express his or hers discontent with how pressing issues are handled by those in power. But it is not only the rights of journalists that are curbed by "Somaliland".
Indeed it is the right to freely express ones own opinion that is heavily restricted. There has been many instances in Las Anod such as this instance, where 15 elderly women were arrested and detained by "Somaliland'" for expressing their support for Somalia. Expressing their support in this instance means waving the national recognized flag of Somalia. One participant, a Somali mother, escaped from the mass arrest and was interviewed by VOA. Although she agrees on being interviewed, she insisted on her identity remaining anonymous for fear of repercussion. This is what she said:
"All my colleagues are in custody and I am in hiding. I can’t recall the exact number of the detainees but I guess they are more than 10 women"
Imagine an American being arrested in Ohio for waiving the US flag, or a German being arrested in Hamburg for waving the German flag? It is this level of madness many of Somalia's citizens are living under in "Somaliland", yet the United nations and its representatives in Somalia are not taking the required stance in support of these vulnerable groups.
It is of monumental importance that UNSOM and its representatives in Somalia including Nick Kay understand that they need to stand up for vulnerable groups that dont have a voice and stop prioritizing politics over basic human rights. Because silence is always interpreted as consent.
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