Hargeysa, Somaliland, February 3, 2007 (SL Times) – SNM veterans called on the government to release the detained Haatuf journalists on Thursday. In a press statement issued by the veterans at a meeting held in SOOYAAL Veterans Association headquarters in Hargeysa said, ‘we strongly condemn the arrest and unlawful detention of Haatuf journalist by the government’.

The veterans said in the press conference that this type of action taken by the government brings shame to the country and people of Somaliland. They said, ‘we had fought a bloodily battle against a government which repressed and killed its people. Many lives were lost and properties destroyed in that war. Today, the government we brought into power and authority is doing the same thing as the one we had fought against and destroyed in 1991’.

The statement issued by the veterans was read out to the media by Ahmed Omar Abdillahi (Hamarji). The statement said, “we are the generation of veterans who had sacrificed their blood along with the many who lost their lives for the emancipation and freedom of our motherland, Somaliland. The wounds and scars on our bodies show that the the freedom we have today in Somaliland did not come out of nowhere. Today, we are gathered here because the very freedom we fought for is under threat. We are witnessing today that Haatuf newspaper journalists Yusuf Abdi Gabobe, Ali Abdi Dini and Muhammad Omar Sheikh are imprisoned for publishing information, which under the constitution is not a crime but is the right of any citizen of this country. The journalists are held in detention illegally, and are being subjected to unlawful court trials conducted by the government.

The veterans explained, “this message is directed to President Dahir Rayale, and we implore that he takes heed of our message. We urge the president to release the journalists, and we urge him and his government not to break the very law he is supposed to protect. We remind the president that we fought against the government of Siyad Barre for the rights of freedom etched in our constitution. We fought Siyad Barre for the unlawful court trials and detentions perpetrated against the people of this country. We fought Siyad Barre for all those things, which your government is committing today, in Somaliland.”

The veterans continued, “For almost a month we have seen how the government of this country is behaving. We have seen that the `Press Law' of this country brought into law by parliament and by the President, is today being forfeited by the government's judicial system. We see that the government is heading towards the very same road as Siyad Barre. We should not travel the same road as Siyad Barre. We will not allow you to take us on that road. We plead with your conscience to release the journalists and stop curtailing the freedom of the media and citizens of this country who have paid heavily in blood and wealth for the little we have today.”

Many of the veterans at the press conference were wearing T-shirts with the slogan `Free Haatuf Journalists'.

Source: Somaliland Times

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