Authenticity of message sent to lawyer questioned

Helsinki, Finland, February 18, 2009 – The Finnish Immigration Service does not want to take the Somali man who was deported to Somaliland back into Finland, even if Somaliland were to expel him from its territory.

Jorma Vuorio, director-general of the service, says that it is very unlikely that Somaliland would expel him.

The man, who had been convicted of a number of crimes in Finland, was sent to Hargeysa, the capital of Somaliland, just over a week ago.

The deportee says that officials in Somaliland, a relatively peaceful political entity which has been set up in the north of Somalia, will not allow him to stay in the area, because he was born in Mogadishu, in Central Somalia.

Somaliland considers itself an independent state, separate from the rest of Somalia. No country has recognized its independence, however.

Jorma Vuorio does not believe the man’s claim that he would be in danger of being deported again. “There are tens of thousands of Somali internal refugees in Somaliland. Besides, he was let into the country at the airport”, Vuorio explains.
The deportation of the man was decided by the Immigration Service, and his appeals were rejected by both the Helsinki Administrative Court and the Supreme Administrative Court.

Vuorio also says that the Immigration Service would not take the deportee back to Finland even if Somaliland really were to expel him.

“The man is banned from entering the Schengen zone, and Finland is not obligated to take him back. Ethiopia is the closest country, where there are many Somalis. He could well go there. However, I don’t believe that Somaliland will expel him”, Vuorio says.

Vuorio is also sceptical about the authenticity of the letter received by the man's legal counsel in Finland claiming to be from the Somaliland administration, and saying that he cannot remain in the area.

"It is possible to get just about any forged document you care to name in Somaliland. Anyone can get hold of anything from there, even a passport if required", said Vuorio

Source: Helsingin Sanomat

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