Somaliland: HORNWATCH Says "They Received Death Threats"

Hargeisa, 14 June 2009 (Somalilandpress) - Prominent local human rights and anti-corruption activists Mr. Suleiman Ismail Bolaleh, was threatened with death if he continued to campaign about corruption allegations.

The threats against Mr. Bolaleh begun just days after when he exposed a serious humanitarian aid corruption cases involved by UNICEF staff and certain local partners in Somaliland . Already HORNWATCH able to submit a complaint against the death threats against its founder Mr. Bolaleh.

"Mr. Bolaleh believes that the death threat calls was involved by some of the staff of UNICEF Hargeisa together with local partners who were jointly engage the humanitarian aid scam/fraud business,

This is clearly violation of the right of human rights defenders to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Institutions to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

HORNWATCH has learned that the staff of UNICEF Hargeisa office has worked to concealing facts and they were bribing certain government top officials including justice minister and ministry of family development officials, trying to receive from government help about the allegations made against them.

According to the press statement issued by UNICEF Representative a.i. Hannan Sulieman, in English and Somali versions distributed through the email of an other UNICEF staff called Hussein - It is shameful that she state in her press statement UNICEF STATES THE FACTS "With regard to the HORNWATCH allegations, these are fully refuted in letters from the Minister of Justice and the Director of the Ministry of Family Affairs and Social Development."

the relation between UNICEF and corrupted government officials, is UNICEF office in Hargeisa are accountable to ministries of justice and Ministry of Family Affairs. We call UNICEF Representative a.i. Hannan Sulieman, to choose the right way which is to undertake urgent internal auditing exercises, prevent any evidence destruction trails, and then follow the results.

"Despite recently death threats from corrupted UNICEF staff and certain local NGOs we would shed the light the hidden corruption practices existing within humanitarian aid project" said Mr. Bolaleh.

Finally, we are hereby calling the Somaliland government to protect the security of prominent human rights defender and anticorruption campaigner Mr. Suleiman Ismail Bolaleh, who recently exposed serious humanitarian aid corruption practice involved by senior UNICEF staff based in Hargeisa.

HORNWATCH together with over 25 local NGOs are planning to launching anti-corruption campaign on African Child Day 16 June 2009, this campaign will target recently exposed corruption cases involved by UNICEF Hargeisa.

Below is a detailed information:

LETTERS EXCHANGED ABOUT THE CORRUPTION

UNICEF Press Release in Somali

Thank you

Mawlid N. Moge
Executive Director
HORNWATCH