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Hargeysa, Somaliland, October 15, 2011 (SL Times) – There has been
rising public concern about the Somaliland government’s appropriation of
Cadastral Survey, an NGO that was run by John Drysdale.
The latest wave of discontent was expressed by fifteen politicians,
elders and intellectuals who published a letter in Haatuf Newspaper in
which they protest government’s encroachment on the NGO. The publishers
of the letter accused the minister of agriculture, Mr Farah Elmi Geedole,
of issuing threats against John Drysdale, interfering in the work of the
NGO, and illegally appropriating the NGO.
A few days before that John Drysdale himself had refuted the minister of
agriculture’s claim that Mr John Drysdale was removed from the
leadership of the company because of his illness. Mr Drysdale said that
he is capable of doing his job and that the minister’s statement was
just an excuse so that the minister would take over the company.
John Drysdale is British by birth, but he has lived in Somaliland for
decades and is a Somaliland citizen. He has also converted to Islam and
has taken the Muslim name Abbas Idris. Drysdale pointed out that
Cadastral Survey has been in business for the last 15 years, and that
they had demarcated 15,000 farms. He also said that it is because of
Somaliland’s democracy and freedom that he can speak openly and without
fear about what the minister had done.
Many of Somaliland’s public are concerned and embarrassed by what is
going on. They see John Drysdale as someone who has made substantial
contributions to the country and want him to be treated fairly and
honorably. They are hoping that the government would correct its
approach and do the right thing before this situation deteriorates any
further.
Here is a list of the individuals who signed the letter protesting the
takeover of Drysdale’s NGO:
Adan Sultan Abdirahman Sultan Diriye Garaad
Abdiqadir Muhammad Jama
Dr Muse Qasim Omar
Muhammad Suleiman Weyne
Ibrahim Muhammad Ismail (Kabad)
Ibrahim Du'ale Hasan
Ibrahim Huseen
Abdirahmaan Adan
Dr Yuusuf Abdillahi Kaariye
Abdillaahi Shibin
Abdi Muhumed Abokor
Dr Muhammad Ali
Ahmed Abdillaahi Muuse
Yusuf Huseen Kulmiye
Abdow Xuseen Iidle
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