Somaliland Opposition Leader Warns Against Harassing Civilians
HARGEISA 21 Fe 2009 (Somaliland Globe) – KULMIYE party has called on Mr. Dahir Rayaale, Somaliland president, to stop election delaying tactics and warned him from endangering the national security.
Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo, the leader of KULMIYE, Somaliland’s biggest opposition party, said Saturday that his party will win a clear victory in the upcoming election.
Speaking to hundreds of people hailing from Eastern part of the country who joined KULMIYE, Mr Silanyo said “we are approaching election time, the government’s term has been extended several times already, there will be no more extension this time”.
He told the cheering crowds “We are ready for the election and we can win it in a broad daylight from the ruling party”.
Mr. Silanyo warned they “will not allow the government to use the police and military forces for harassing civilian population and journalists”. The leader of KULMIYE was refering to a recent incident in which a number men led by the mayor and head of the police of Dacarbudhuq, Laasgeel district took custody of a HCTV reporter.
The reporter, Mr. Mohamed Daud suffered injuries from the apparent beating he endured from the police during his brief custody. His injuries, although requiring hospital treatment, were minor in nature. His equipment was also damaged. Reports from the area said the vice-president was campaigning in the area when the local authorities learned the HCTV reporter was filming another event organized by the opposition KULMIYE party which attracted significant crowds. The authorities may have believed that HCTV reporting of the opposition event could undercut the significance of the one that the vice-president was attending which normally would be aired on government controlled media.
Mr. Ahmed Silanyo’s remarks came at the backdrop of what the party claims to be waves of supporters joining them. They also accuse Rayaale’s administration of adopting a narrative that was widely criticized as “favoring unity” with Somalia following the formation of its unity government in Djibouti.
Our reporter in Hargeisa says up and down the country, people show clear signs of frustration with the administration on a number of fronts which may have boosted the popularity of the opposition parties over the past two years. Political commentators believe that voters are increasingly taking a pro-opposition stand.
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