HARGEISA, Somaliland, 24 January 2008 -- Members of a house church in the breakaway Somali republic of Somaliland have fled to neighboring Ethiopia after hearing that the government wants to arrest them as part of a crackdown on evangelical Christians, an influential human rights group said Thursday, January 24.

US-based International Christian Concern (ICC) with Website www.persecution.org said the pastor of the church in Somaliland's capital Hargeisa stayed behind. ICC said the pastor, who it wrongly identified as Mohammed "for security reasons", is being monitored around the clock by Somaliland security officials since his release last year from prison, where he was reportedly tortured by security personnel.  

"During his imprisonment, Somaliland’s Criminal Investigation Department tortured Pastor Mohammed in order to obtain the names of the members of his house church, but failed to obtain any information from him," ICC said. "On the order of one of Somaliland's high-ranking government officials, Mohammed was imprisoned on December 3, 2007, for leading the official's niece to Christ," the grpup explained. "Though Pastor Mohammed was released on December 7" last year, "he has been placed under 24-hour surveillance..." ICC stressed n a statement obtained by BosNewsLife.  

A representative of Somaliland to the United States, Saad Noor, has reportedly denied the pastor was persecuted, saying there are no Christians in the republic. Somaliland, which wants to separate from Somalia, has not been recognized by the international community, though it has had a functioning government since 1991 and declared independence.  

ISLAMIC 'JIHADISTS'  

ICC, which has close contacts in the region, quoted local sources as saying that Somaliland’s Criminal Investigation Department is currently infiltrated by "Islamic Jihadists who have compiled a list containing the names of several Somali church leaders whom they have vowed to eliminate using the Somaliland justice system."  

The "anti-Christian Islamic militants" are allegedly members "of the fundamentalist Salafi movement which gave birth to [terror network] Al-Qaeda," ICC said.  

ICC's Regional Manager for Africa, Darara Gubo, said that " Somaliland should prove to the international community that it is a democratic country where freedom of religion is upheld. The international community should closely monitor and condemn the activities of Islamic fundamentalists who have infiltrated the security forces of Somaliland."

Source: BosNewsLife

Comment

John	Thursday, 24 January 2008 (20:00)
"samiland"? Atleast get the break-away republic's name right. How can this article be verified if even names are incorrect?

BosNewsLife News Center	Thursday, 24 January 2008 (21:14)
Dear John, We would suggest you take some extra geography lessons. Samiland, or Lapland, is located in Northern Europe, spanning parts of Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. Population: estimated 85,000. Somaliland is officially still part of Somalia as it has not been recognized internationally, although it has declared independence. A high-level delegation from Somaliland, even met with senior US officials to "further common interests" in regional peace, security, economic development and democratic reform, the United States Department said on Sunday, January 20, Reuters news agency said. http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnN20333389.html Hope that helps. BosNewsLife News Center

Ibrahim	Thursday, 24 January 2008 (23:40)
DearBosNewsLife, I am totally against the persecution of minority groups by anyone in anywhere on Earth but I am also sure you will agree with me that it is wrong for any group religious or not to deliberately violate the laws of the land in which they choose to live. Although Somaliland is a democratic country and respects the rights of its religious minorities, it is not a secular country but an Islamic one by constitutional law. As a result of this character they have a law that explicitly forbids the propagation of non-Islamic doctrines. As with any other law, any one caught braking it would of course face trial and persecution and the Somaliland authorities have the right to punish such law breakers. Advocating for change of a law that might be unpopular with people is one thing, but blatantly breaking it is totally a different matter.

abdi	Friday, 25 January 2008 (00:14)
I am sorry to read this story which is a clear propaganda spread by Somaliland’s enemies. It is known to the whole world that in Somaliland there are families belonging to the Christian faith. These were also members of the cabinets and chairman of the parliament. It is also a well known fact that Hargeisa has two churches built by the British and are not used. These buildings have not been demolished and nobody has asked the local authorities or the Somaliland government to use them for their prayers!!!! Somaliland does not discriminate religiously. All people are free to believe in their Gods!!! You might be confused with other sorts of discrimination after all we are all humans!!

Rev.Filsan Odawa	Friday, 25 January 2008 (04:53)
Walaal Ibrahim, Xaq ma ahan yeeli mayno in maamulka Somaliland Masiixiyiinta reer SL u yeeriyo sida ay Rabbigooda u cabudayaan. Fasax ugama baahnin dastuur Muslim ah waayo Ilaaha aan caabudno ayaa ka sareeya sharcigaas xag jira. In aan Injiilka ku wacdino dadka waa ammar Sayid Ciise inna siiyay (Matayos 28) fasaxna ugama baahnin shaqsi. Asal raaca ku jira Maamulka SL waxaa ka mid Wasiir Ku Xigeenka Caddaaladdda, Wakiil SL u fadhiya Washington DC Dr. Saad Sheekh Noor iyo wadaadadan xag jira ee la shaqeeya CD-da SL oo ay ka mid yihiin: 1. Sheik Adan Sunni, 2. Sheik Adan Siira 3. Sheik Khaliil. Dhawaan ayaan bulshadda caalamka u soo bandhigi doonna macagacyada dhammaan reer Salafi ee ku jira maamulka SL Rev Filsan Odawa

magan	Friday, 25 January 2008 (13:23)
waxaa layaba leh dadka u doodaay dadka ma sixiyinta ah qofkaas bal ha is xasusuto wuu yahay ciise wuxuu aha rasul ilahay soo dirsaday xiligii loogu talagay konkana uu ka atgay malinta adunka ugu danbeysan imandoo xiliag dijala cawar imanayo ayuuu nabiyulahi ciise soo laaban doona marka waxan idin weydiinaya dadkinna leh ciisa ayan rumaeysanaya miyad khaldantihiin mise waad sax santihiin bal dib isugulabata oo ilahay xasuusta diinta xaqa ah ee dunida mantka irta waa dinta islmka maha inaad tirdan kitabkii cisa ayan haysana tas wax aqliga saliimk ah eqofka ilahay siyey galeysa maha ee walallayal ilahay waxan idin kabaryayaya in uu idin soo hadeye melksat aaad jogatna oo aad argatan wada xaqa ah ayan ilahay idin karbayay

Rooble	Friday, 25 January 2008 (22:05)
I'm very sad to see the Somaliland enemy taking another path to make Somaliland fail. This is not working and any propoganda against Somaliland will be dealth with. Somaliland Authorities are aware of such propoganda and those who committed it will be brought to the justice sooner or later.

raxiin	Saturday, 26 January 2008 (01:02)
ku filsan odowa walaal filsan maqaalkaaga kooban ayaan wax kaaweydiinyaa adoo raali ka ah. filsan waxaad taahay gabar masiixiyad ah oo somaliland udhalatey. ilama ahan in diinta aad rumeysan tahay adiga iyio inta kula mid ahi ka waayeen xushmo iyo qadarin dhanwalba ah dawlada somaliliand. walaal filsan waxaad tiri umada somaliland waan ugu yeeri karnaa in aaanu ku wacdino diinta aanu aamin sanahay. hadaba xaqdaro in aad ku doodeysid adiga ayaa qirtey, waayo ma cadaadis ayaad u aragtaa hadii dawlada somaliland tiri aqbalimeyno in diinta masiixiyada lagu wacdiyo shacabka? saw aflagaado ma ahan in aad shacabka aad ka soojeedo culumadooda aad ku tilmaanto kuwo waalan? shcabka somalilnd waa ummad islam ah umana baahna diinkale marka laga reebo kuwa aaminsan diimaha kale.

Rev Filsan Odawa	Sunday, 27 January 2008 (20:37)
Raxiin, Gartay, balse maxaa lagu samayn kuwa u dhashay SL oo Masiixiyiinta ah? Ma dhalashada ayaa laga noqon? Masiixiyiaddu waa xaq lamana caburin karyo haddii Carab oo dhan aad u kaashataanna. Xaq dilaacay ninkii raba inuu, xagasha uu saaro Isagaa xunuunsane u daa, badagu wuu xiiqi!!

Mahad	Sunday, 27 January 2008 (21:11)
This ain't propaganda and we all know that Somaliland is more propagandic then any other society in East Africa. This story is true and it shows that Somaliland is a Islamic state. I'm from the north-east of Somalia and I am so disappointed in how desperat the people of Somaliland are because now you guys are claiming that it is ok that Somalis are christian. You guys need a reality check and you need to find out where your loyality lies. Is it with the west or the islamic principles?