Somaliland: An Open letter to the President
1:45 am on the 17th June 2012 armed thugs also known as the RRU forces invaded our family home in the Ibrahim Koodbur area of Hargeisa. Our home is the oldest home in this quite residential area and resides opposite (13m) the Ibrahim Koodbur police station. A police station my father and owner of the house Mr Hassan Aw Libah built many years ago, in addition, to this date he still supports the upkeep and maintenance out of his love for his country and profound belief in law and order. And my four children were born in the UK. My husband and wanted to raise our children in our home land, where we have invested n business and infrastructure alike.
This militia used ladders to jump over our gate broke in to the house with such inconceivable violence and smashed our doors, family heirlooms, furnishings, cupboards and beds. They all ransacked and stole our belongings. They broke into the private bedrooms of my sleeping children, aunt and cousins. They forced the women outside and made them sit in the middle of the night in the freezing cold weather, and to sit on the concert floor outside. Our house has a quest house and a large Mutula ( Garden house) on our grounds, both were ransacked by this militia and yet still cruelly enough the women were forced to stay outside dressed only in their night wear and refused permission to collect their Islamic coverings or even a blanket, jumper or coat to keep them warm. My six year old daughter and two year old son woke up with all the commotion. My children opened there eyes to see a torch and gun pointed at them. They screamed and began to run outside only to be yelled at by the militia. They allowed them to join the women but with sheer malice kept them outside in the cold surrounded by the armed guards. These guards where well prepared for the cold , they had on balaclavas heavy jackets and boots yet forced a two year old and six year old to stand outside in the cold dressed in pajamas without even so much as a jumper. My daughter has been seriously affected by this and for the past few nights has had nightmares and awakes screaming. Inshallah this will pass and she will be ok.
Staying in our home was two male guests, and our family watchman. All three men were detained and taken to a police station on the furthest part of town. Not once during this horrific incident did these armed thugs produce a warrant for this illegal search. They did not speak to anyone and explain why they were in our home, nor did they care to articulate what they were looking for.
They stole private possessions, passports, mobile phones, laptops, and even my children’s PSP game, cash in Dollars and Dirhams. They even took a small amount of Somaliland Shillings left out on the kitchen table.
They destroyed our fridge our water tank our mango trees growing in the garden on the sides of the wall. They tried to break in to our family safe which was where I and my mother kept our gold but Alahmdulliah did not succeed. The Chief of police and his deputy visited the house and witnessed with their own eyes the damage these thugs did, and yet had the audacity to state of international television no damage was done. Allah almighty is all knowing and all seeing and knows the truth.
Your minister of interior stated on the 19 June 2012 in a one to one with my husband they were acting of false and faulty information. And that I quote “This was no means targeted at the family” This beggars belief and makes me ask then who were you targeting? This was a family home, built fifteen years ago. And surely any police service worth its salt check and thoroughly investigates before carrying out such an attack. Thirdly any fool involved in suspicious activity would do so as far away from the police as possible and not be in a house opposite a police station with a family renowned for their honesty integrity and enough nationalism to build a institution of law and order to service and entire community.
Mr. President this was the same house that you yourself used to chew chaat and sit with senior members of kulimiye and my father. This is the same family that hosted you in London during your service under the Barre government Egal government and more recently when you were looking for political financial support. Have you forgotten our families generous contribution to the Kulimye party during your many years in opposition, Was our home not an extension of your own, have you not known me personally since I was a small girl in London. Yet your government decided to forget our lengthy relationship and uses armed thugs to terrorize us and destroy our private property. Shame on you and shame on your ruthless government for terrorizing women and children.
I am not naïve enough to think you are aware of everything that goes on under your rule, but responsibility is an enormous burden were you rejoice in success and own up to failures and mistakes.
What I had hoped and am utterly disappointed by is your governments lack of responsibility, mistakes can happen and only allah subhana wa taala is perfect, but you on a personal level and your government on a professional level should accept full responsibility for this disastrous mistake and make the necessary amends. We have tried in vain to search for the truth as to why this happened and only to be faced with empty answers, and more and more lies and we did not know? That is only if we are to expect justice transparence and accountability from this government, if not then we are to expect Somaliland to follow many African countries bad doctorial example and become Africa’s newest police state run by armed thugs and bandits. When we as the Somaliland people had higher aspiration of becoming Africa’s newest democracy.
Yours
Hodan Hassan Aw liabah
Damages items
9 door
2 cupboards
Water tanks
Fridge freezer
3 tables
Furnishings 3
http://samotalis.blogspot.com/
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