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Somaliland is a country that came into existence as a result of huge human rights violations that were committed against its citizens under the regime of Somalia’s former dictator, Siyad Barre. Since the purpose of Somaliland’s restoration as an independent free state is the protection of its people from a repetition of the great suffering they had experienced under Barre’s dictatorship, Somalilanders couldn’t be blamed if they guard their human rights closely and are sensitive to any potential abuse by their own government, or by the perpetrators of past crimes who are still on the loose in Somalia.
Recent reports accusing the Somaliland government of having violated the human rights of some of its citizens in the wake of the April 14 presidential elections, seem to have drawn negative responses from certain officials and individuals who support UDUB’s government based on the belief that such revelations would damage Somaliland’s chances of getting recognition from the international community.
Opponents of disclosing human rights violations have assigned their harshest criticism to a report by African Rights and its director, the Somaliland-born human rights activist, Rakiya Omaar. The report which was issued on May 23, 2003 by African Rights under the title "Somaliland: Shadows of the Past as Human Rights Deteriorate", contained well-documented cases of human rights violations, allegedly carried out by the government. Strangely enough, none of those who responded negatively to African Rights bothered to call upon the government to conduct an inquiry into the allegations. A logical question is why the government committed the alleged violations in the first place, since it obviously knew that revealing such actions would jeopardize Somaliland’s chances of recognition? Or did the government think that depriving citizens of their rights is a serious a crime only if it were reported by international human rights and media organizations? Unfortunately, this notion that only negative publicity abroad is what matters is the dominant attitude among government leaders. Most of the less senior officials in the Administration even care less and less as one goes down the ladder of bureaucratic hierarchy.
Moreover, viewing "recognition" as something that could be gained as a result of a one-time or a few-times accomplishments such as the successfully-held local and presidential elections is misleading. In the present and foreseeable future, ‘recognition’ would only be won if Somaliland continues to consolidate its stability and makes progress in democratization and good governance. Somaliland has certainly made considerable achievements in the above areas in comparison with other countries in this region or elsewhere in Africa. But Somaliland could have done much more.
One thing is certain. Somaliland will not be able to sustain its achievements unless basic freedoms such as the rights of movement and expression are upheld, and the rule of law is respected by the government and citizens alike. No one is going to respect a government that fails to investigate allegations of human rights abuses leveled against its officials or one that tolerates arbitrary arrests, appalling prison conditions and the use of lethal weapons for the dispersion of peaceful demonstrations. The gentlemen in the diaspora who support UDUB have to take this into account. They have to ask why President Rayale’s Administration is still denying trial to a group of SNM veterans who were arrested May 19 on charges of engaging in anti-government activities? Isn’t it a double standard to describe KULMIYE’s position of rejecting the decision made by the Somaliland electorate in the April 14 presidential election as unconstitutional, while at the same time the UDUB-led government violates the constitution through the unlawful use of the police and harassment of journalists?
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