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Hargeysa,
Somaliland, October 31, 2009 (SL Times) – Somaliland commemorated the
passage of one year since the terrorist attack in which twenty four
people were killed and thirty five were wounded. The commemoration
ceremony took place at the presidential palace which was one of the
targets of the terrorist attack. The decision to hold the ceremony in
the presidential palace was itself a message to the terrorists that
Somaliland cannot be cowed by their cowardly actions. Likewise, the
presence of representatives from the Ethiopian government and the UN,
the two other targets of the terrorist attack was also meant to send the
same message, that both the UN and the Ethiopian government are
committed to continue their work and presence in Somaliland.
The President of Somaliland, Dahir Rayale Kahin, spoke with emotion and
conviction about the significance of the gathering. He said that the
purpose of this attack was to damage and destroy Somaliland, and that
although it was the worst attack, it was not the first one, but was part
of a series of assaults on Somaliland that have been going on since
2002. He also pointed out that the terrorists target Somaliland every
time Somaliland is making progress and is in the midst of important
issues such as elections.
The president thanked Somaliland’s police, security, prosecutors and
courts for their dedication and hard work which resulted in the
apprehension and jailing of many terrorists. He thanked Djibouti and its
President, Ismail Omar Guelleh for the help he extended to those who
were wounded in the attack He also thanked all those embassies who got
in touch with him and expressed their sympathies.
He proposed three ways to deal with the problem of terrorism:
1- Religious leaders should play a big role
2- Parents should have close relations with their children and know what
they are up to.
3- The international community should provide assistance to Somaliland’s
anti-terrorism efforts.
President Dahir Rayale rebuked the international community for not
fulfilling the promises it made immediately after the attack. He pointed
out that the security of Somaliland is not just in the interests of the
region but also in the interests of the international community. He
appealed to the international community to honor the commitments it made
to Somaliland.
One of the highlights of the event was the reading of the names of the
twenty four individuals who were killed in the terrorist attack.
Among the attendees were: Somaliland Vice president, Ahmed Yusuf Yasin,
relatives of the people who were killed by the terrorist attack, the
Chairman of UCID, Faysal Ali Warabe, UN, Ethiopian Consulate, the
Minister of Religious Affairs, Sheikh Mahmood Sheikh Sufi, government
ministers, Sooyaal War Veterans Organization, university administrators,
women organizations, and other distinguished personalities.
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