Somaliland cancels executions for aid worker killers

[Jacaylbaro]

HARGEISA, Somalia, May 31 (Reuters) - The president of the breakaway enclave of Somaliland on Thursday commuted death sentences against two men convicted of killing four foreign aid workers to life in jail after foreign appeals.

 

The move came amid strenuous diplomatic efforts by the self-declared independent republic, in the north-west of Somalia in the Horn of Africa, to gain international recognition.

 

"The death sentence on two of the terrorists has been changed to life ... in a pardon," said a statement on behalf of the president of Somaliland, Dahir Rayale Kahin.

 

"The cancelling of the death sentence was in response to families and governments of the humanitarian workers killed who requested the death sentence should not be carried out."

 

Italian aid worker Annalena Tonelli was shot dead in 2003, British teachers Richard and Enid Eyeington were killed in October 2003, and Kenyan aid worker Flora Chepkemoi was gunned down at a roadblock outside the capital, Hargeisa, in March 2004.

 

The Somaliland Supreme Court had last month ordered death sentences, to be carried out by firing squad, against locals Jama Abdi Ismael and Mohamed Abdi Essa for the killings.

 

But Somaliland had received appeals from partners and friends abroad to commute that to life imprisonment, Foreign Minister Abdillahi Duale told Reuters earlier this month.

 

Another dozen men implicated in the killings had their lengthy jail sentences reduced substantially, the presidential statement added.

 

Despite relative stability in Somaliland compared with the rest of anarchic Somalia, the killings of the foreigners raised fears extremist activity was on the rise there.

 

But the government said the successful convictions showed it was vigilant and stamping out the threat.

 

Despite declaring independence in 1991 and winning plenty of plaudits for its democratic advances, Somaliland has so far not been formally recognised by one other country.

 

A former British protectorate with semi-desert terrain roughly the size of England and Wales and a population of 3.5 million people, Somaliland broke away after warlords toppled Somali dictator Mohamed Siad Barre 16 years ago.

[Peacenow]

There shouldn't be a death penalty anyway. Not if it wants to be seen as progessive. Give them a trial and if they are guility then lock them up.

[Gordon Gekko]

^^ That shouldnt come from an ICU supporter. Surprises me somethimes how your political views sound so diametrically different from the ones you support.

 

 

Personally, I do support death penalty.

[RedSea]

Gordon Gekko,

 

It's not clear whether or not these men did the crime, the Somaliland judicial system is something taht I have no full confidence of, therefore the dismisal of these perhaps wrongly convicted is good news.

 

The UIC on the other hand excuted or would have those SEEN doing the crime itself, which is according to Islam.

 

Capital Punishment is part of the Islamic law, therefore nothing wrong with it.

 

As for Peacenow, he CAN support a movement like the UIC, yet he can oppose it or disagree with it in some ways, that is how the world works mr. Gekko, so expand your mind dude.

[Peacenow]

Originally posted by Gordon Gekko:

^^ That shouldnt come from an ICU supporter. Surprises me somethimes how your political views sound so diametrically different from the ones you support.

 

 

Personally, I do support death penalty.

You don't know anything about my views, so don't comment on it untill you do. Is your head tilted a little further from the ground today, now that your master has come to see you?

[Gordon Gekko]

^^ Well I must have hit a soft spot since you resort to ad hominem replies. All I'm saying is that the views you send out here on SOL and your support of a certain group doesnt make any sense (and this has been noted before). Reply to that matter in a decent way or go take a hike at your local piazza.

[Emperor]

^Well you know how it all works, the motive is clear the support is granted so long they preserve the looted properties, I have seen drug addicts and those not so religious not practising Muslims support in my local Maqaaxiyo, and here we witness everyday some1 who at times presented Islam as an alien religion supporting the UIC, hence all this reduce the UICs as nothing but organisation of interest.

[Peacenow]

My views are well known. I'm a free-market libertation, who believes in small government. I don't believe religion and government should mix, but I understand the pious nature of Somalis and would be comfortable with a nominal difference to Islam in the state, but nothing more than that. I believe that the people are capable of unity but are being robbed of the chance by charlatans. I believe that Somalia should leave the Arab Union, and adopt a defensive and pragmatic foreign policy that is based soley on the national interest. Building alliances that based on trade. Looking eastwards to Asia for insipration. I would favour a defence and security agreement with India anchoring a common Indian Ocean foreign policy. A lot needs to be done. I want the Somali West back. But I'm realistic too, we need to sit down and create a very clever strategy that is anchored on a bullet proof policy to achieve this land back. Similar to what Israel says. ''I'm willing to make peace, but first you have to put down your weapons and acknowledge that I exist''. That is a clever policy and it has stood well. Similar tactics need to be developed whole scale in how we interact in a god foresaken part of the world.

 

It is a great source of shame and turmoil for me to see ethiopians in my country. I'm willing to make alliances with the ICU in the course of unity to achieve a common aim against a common foe. Knowing fully well, they may not share all of my political beliefs. The greater evil is the Ethiopians and not a bunch of Somalis with extreme religious views that though I don't share, I acknowledge and respect that they have the better interests of the common man at heart. The cause is just.

 

In the West, I would be probably be though of as a tree hugging bleeding heart. But in Somalia in these times, that is no great shame.

[Emperor]

^So much BS, we heard this love for the country and your level of nationalism, the hate for the Arabs.... As if ...

 

The greater evil is the Ethiopians and not a bunch of Somalis with religious views that though I dont share

Religious views that you don't share? :confused:

[Fabregas]

The guy is not a Muslim and he believes Islam is for Arabs.

[Gordon Gekko]

I'm on a loss here, is this guy (peacenow) one of those anarchy loving westerns like gavin who wants to finance private military companies and stuff?

[Emperor]

^No like Geeljire says the guy is not Muslim and believes Islam is for the Arabs, thus me wonders why such a man supports an organisation that claims to stand for only and nothing but Islam, perhaps a Nationalist he is , well that is if he's Somali, Gekko you may be right that he's awestener like Gavin but I haven't seen him say that yet...

 

Peace, are you Somali by any means?

[Gordon Gekko]

^^ lol. That is crazy man. I took for granted that he was a muslim. Buufis kii ugu darnaa. He would probably be the first one to be executed in the new ICU administration if they took over again: after they find him advocating for topless beaches or something.

[Peacenow]

Originally posted by Emperor:

^No like Geeljire says the guy is not Muslim and believes Islam is for the Arabs, thus me wonders why such a man supports an organisation that claims to stand for only and nothing but Islam, perhaps a Nationalist he is

, well that is if he's Somali, Gekko you may be right that he's awestener like Gavin but I haven't seen him say that yet...

 

Peace, are you Somali by any means?

Yes I'm Somali. My first name is Sahardid and im working in Milan.

Lets try to take any personal factors out of this. And argue purely on the facts infront of us. As for those who say, what is my religion. I would say, that religion is for you and for you only.

One of the things that ha made the Arabs stuck is that they are based on a shame based society. Have you noticed that all the societies that have developed, display none of these charaterisctics? We have to move beyond that and deal with the real core issues. That is what I can say on that matter.

[Gordon Gekko]

I think we have found ICU SOLs own little Idhacadde