Hargeysa, Somaliland, May 26, 2007 (SL Times) – Somaliland president Dahir Rayale Kahin has blocked the release of Shuun Hersi Gelleh, a 70-year old woman, who was arrested on April 11, 2007 in connection with the demolition of a fence wall that had been built on her land by a real estate prospector by the name of Arab Ha Iswaalin.

Shuun Hersi has been suspected of tearing down the fence which was erected on her land at the western outskirt of Hargeysa.

Shuun and her relatives had inherited over 230 plots of undeveloped real estate that belonged to the late Hersi Gelleh.

However a portion of the inherited plots has been claimed by businessman Arab Ha Iswalin. He says that he had purchased the plots from Shuun’s brother, Hassan Hersi Gelleh. The two sides have been engaged in a legal battle over the ownership of the disputed land.

In a 2003 decision, the Hargeysa regional court dismissed Arab’s claim as invalid on the ground of Sharia law rules which disallow the acquisition of the property of a deceased person unless it has been distributed amongst the legal heirs.

Arab Ha Iswalin has recently approached president Rayale, seeking government support to enable him gain control over the land in question.

The minister of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement, Abshir Ahmed Hassan And a man called Ibrahim Yey, a slob’by businessman who is also a friend of Rayale, took up Arab Ha Iswalin’s case with the president.

Mr. Rayale later instructed his Interior minister Abdillahi Erro to strictly ensure that Arab Ha Iswalin gets the land he claims to have purchased from Shuun Hersi’s brother.

Another woman called Sirad Balayeh has also been imprisoned with Shuun Gelleh. Six men including Sirad’s only son Ibrahim Ibro have also been in police custody since April 8, 2007. All are being suspected of involvement in the demolition of the fence built by Arab Ha Iswalin on the disputed plots.

Shuun Hersi is a British citizen of Somaliland origin. Some of her children and grandchildren met with Somaliland’s vice-president, Ahmed Yusuf Yassin, in London on last week. Mr. Yassin, who is currently visiting London, promised that he would intervene on Shuun’s behalf. However all attempts to secure her release have so far been unsuccessful.

Some relatives have openly accused president Rayale of having a vested interest in the continued imprisonment of Shuun Hersi. The president’s direct involvement in the matter has sparked speculations that he might have been offered a share in the disputed land in exchange for his support of Arab Ha Iswalin. Mr. Rayale is known to have procured personal properties in both inside and outside country with tax-payers money.

Meanwhile Shuun Hersi is still in jail without charge and bail.

Shuun’s imprisonment has been condemned by local human rights groups. The Somaliland human rights organizations network (Shura) has meanwhile called on the Somaliland government to abolish the “security committee”.

Source: Somaliland Times

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