Amnesty International
#Araweelo_News_Network.
Amnesty International.
A letter to Amnesty East Africa in connection with a report on Somaliland.
Today I came across a tweet and a report entitled Somaliland: Urgent inquiry needed as fighting takes a heavy toll on civilians in Las Anod.
The first question is:
Why does Amnesty rely on photographs taken on social media?
When did Amnesty International become the voice of the allied militias and the notorious terrorist groups fighting in Los Angeles?
Why has the amnesty neglected to mention thousands of displaced women, children and militias who use child soldiers in LasAnod?
Why amnesty does not mention the militias and terrorist groups that are training and using child soldiers in LasAnod.
The report seems to be shrouded in ambiguity and unfounded accusations, particularly regarding the purported bombardment of the city by the Somali armed forces.
This is some of one of the hundreds of evidences where militias and allied
It is unfortunate to note that the report failed to present any tangible proof to substantiate these serious claims that contradict the operations of the government’s security forces in the region.
The essence of this report appears to be to tarnish Somaliland’s unblemished track record of safeguarding human rights. The conflict that erupted in LasAnod ensued subsequent to what was purportedly a peaceful congregation of the Garaad and other traditional leaders. However, the situation took a violent turn when an endeavor was made to assassinate four government ministers and several other high-ranking officials at the Hamdi Hotel during the early hours of February 6, 2023.
In a groundless and unwarranted attack, a multitude of bodyguards lost their lives. Simultaneously, on the same day, armed militias with the support of Somalia and Al-Shabaab attacked the barracks where the government’s security forces were stationed. This unjustifiable act of aggression resulted in the merciless killing of an additional 26 soldiers.
The government’s security forces had no choice but to respond and safeguard Somaliland’s people and nation from the chaotic and terroristic transnational coalition. The Somaliland army, which is regarded as the most ethical force in the Horn of Africa, is still exercising tremendous restraint in fulfilling its constitutional obligation to uphold security in and around Lasanod. Any efforts to malign and level baseless accusations against them will not go unaddressed.
The Somaliland government retains the authority to take suitable action to hold Amnesty East Africa responsible for defaming the state of Somaliland and its armed forces. I implore you to retract this report without delay until all the facts have been fully ascertained.
Additionally, the report deliberately overlooked the existing evidence that highlights the operations of the coalition of chaos and terrorism in the town. They terrorists and allied militias who have occupied the abandoned houses of the civilians who had fled the region due to their war. It appears that the report’s author had a personal stake in the town under scrutiny, thereby relegating an impartial evaluation of the facts to a lower priority.
Another point of concern pertains to the absence of information regarding the individuals who have purportedly fled from Lasanod, as claimed in the report to be approximately 200,000. According to Somali government data, the population of Lasanod was less than 80,000 before the conflict. Therefore, it remains unclear to us where the remaining people cited in the report are originating from. Could Amnesty East Africa provide us with further details on this matter?
The report did not condemn the presence of Somali forces at Lasanod, their terrorist activities and the extra-judicial executions of civilians.
Somalia continues to pose a ridiculous threat to the state of Somaliland and its inhabitants. We maintain the right to take defensive and aggressive measures anywhere in Somaliland to guarantee the people’s peaceful existence. Somaliland has no regrets about safeguarding its citizens from internal and external existential dangers. Indeed, it is the fundamental obligation of any independent nation-state to do so.
The video below shows the city of Laascaanood in 2021 and how it has grown over the past 15 years. This video image was taken in 2021 and has undoubtedly grown since 2021.
To get a clear picture of the situation in LasAnod, please read the article below.
SOMALILAND and the conflict in the town of LasAnod, Sool district.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Araweelo News Network.
Ahmed_Yasin Mohamed Jama
aymjama@hotmail.co.uk
