Hargeisa: Imprisoned Christian On Hunger Strike

[Cowke]

Imprisoned Christian in Somaliland on Hunger Strike

 

Simba Tian

 

Compass Direct News

 

October 19, 2009

 

NAIROBI, Kenya (CDN) — A convert from Islam in Somalia's self-declared state of Somaliland has staged a hunger strike to protest his transfer to a harsh prison in a remote part of the country.

 

Osman Nour Hassan was arrested on Aug. 3 for allegedly providing Christian literature in Pepsi village, on the outskirts of the breakaway region's capital city, Hargeisa. On Sept. 9 authorities transferred him from Hargeisa to Mandere prison, 60 kilometers (37 miles) away - a difficult, week-long trip for visitors that is expensive by Somali standards.

 

"Hassan is in really terrible shape," a Christian source told Compass. "He is very discouraged."

 

In August the Muslims who accused Hassan met with his family, also Muslim, and agreed that Islamic teachers, or sheikhs, should go to see him in jail to advise him on Islamic doctrine. Two sheikhs met him in the police station cell and implored him to stop spreading Christianity. Hassan refused.

 

"His family together with the sheikhs requested the prison to make his situation more harsh, as a form of punishment, with the hope that he would recant the Christian faith and return to Islam," said the source on condition of anonymity. "So far the family has been silent about Hassan's situation and gives him no support."

 

Promotion of any religion other than Islam in Somaliland is prohibited, contrary to international standards for religious freedom such as Article 18 of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 5(1-2) of the Somaliland constitution states that Islam is the state religion and prohibits the promotion of any other faith, according to the U.S. Department of State's 2008 International Religious Freedom Report, and Article 313 outlines penalties for Muslims who change their religion.

 

Authorities have thwarted efforts to secure an attorney for Hassan by insisting that he cannot appeal his sentence, the source said. No Christian has ever tried to address a religious rights violation through the courts in Somaliland, he said.

 

"He is in need of a lawyer to help him, which seems not forthcoming," he said. "But he cannot be allowed the right to a defense anyway. He feels neglected, so he rejected to eat food to protest the mistreatment."

 

Local authorities have embarked on a crackdown of underground Christians in the predominantly Muslim area, according to three Somaliland Christians who have fled the country. Several underground Christians have either been killed, arrested or fled their homes as Islamists try to stop the clandestine distribution of Bibles, sources said.

 

Hassan was accused of providing Christian literature to a village Muslim boy, who later showed it to his family and friends. The boy's Muslim family reported the incident to the police, sources said, leading to the arrest of the 29-year-old Hassan.

 

"His stand is that he had only one Christian material in his possession for learning purposes and not for spreading the faith," the Christian source said. "Hassan needs a lawyer to advocate for his case, because [for someone who was once Muslim] to practice Christianity in Somaliland or another religion apart from Islam is illegal."

 

In spite of his discouragement, Hassan recently said he is adhering to Christ.

 

"I still belong to Jesus," he said. "I know one day I'm sure I will be released, and my physical health is okay, but psychologically I feel very anxious and stressed. Please continue praying for me."

 

Copyright 2009 Compass Direct News.

[Cowke]

It is funny they arrest this individual for practising christianity, yet reward edna adan as hero of hargeisa yet edna adan is practising christian and lives safely among her people.

 

Disturbing trends for hargeisa, infact if we were to be technical we could declare hargeisa as not apart of the islamic world. Why? Because if they don't apply the shariah law on edna adan for apostating and becoming a christian and reward this murtad with foreign minister roles which she held under egal administration then it would be safe to say it is not islamic city.

 

Edna Adan today lives safely among her people, why? she is converting many people at her edna adan maternity ward which was funded by christian aid groups in America. Why doesn't anyone say anything to her?

 

AHHHHHHHH, there comes the hypocrisy in hargeisa. And that hypocrisy can prove without a shadow of doubt that their not muslim. Even back in the colonial days "michael mariano" was a practising christian in waqoyi galbeed and also was a politician. Imagine that huh!!!

[Dhubad.]

Is it for sure that she Christian or its just a rumour ?

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Edna adan is not a christian she is a muslim qof ,muslim ah hadaad gaal ku sheegtid danbiga adiga iska leh wax xubso Dr adan the father of adna was a Christian ., but adna is muslim aniga ku xaqijin karra taas sxb.

[General Duke]

Cowke, is she a Christian?

[Cowke]

Dhubad yes she is a christian...you should read the book "WAR DESTROYS, PEACE NURTURES" Authored by Edna Adan Ismail, Richard Ford, and Hussein M. Adam

 

She clearly speaks of her religion being for jesus and that she works with muslims and they all just get along fine and so so forth.

[Cawaale]

Rag iska dhici iyo rabi ka cabso meel ma wada galaan may mareysa sheekadu.

 

Originally posted by Cowke:.... edna adan the former foreign minister who is christian missionary who in turns gets supplied by christian-aid firms. Like her hospital which was build by an american christian aid firm so they can make more hargeisa citizens into jesus christ worshippers. [big Grin]

even if this was true? wax aad la dhowla cadeyso in ay tahay ma u maleynaayi.

 

BTW maxaa cadeynaayo waxaad meesha kusoo qortay?

 

Originally posted by Cowke:....believe it or not, you know edna adan the wife of egal. She is christian lady and they made her a foreign minister in hargeisa ka waran waxaas...gaalka waxaa la sineya foreign minister position. Same deal with michael mariano he was politician in hargeisa.

 

Even the hospital edna adan opened in hargeisa go study it and find out who paid for it? it was paid for by christian-aid company. Why u think christian aid company pay for it? to make ppl christian at the hospital.

I see you are trying hard sxb, and you were probably were hosted by christan organization on behalf of of the IOM. waxaa muuqat in ay Somaliland ku madax martay!!

 

Originally posted by Cowke:... its true sxb, ask any hargeisa person what is edna adan religion and was she foreign minister under egal administration and see the answer u get!!!

 

Same with michael mariano, ask them what did he used to do in hargeisa back in those days. They will tell u he was politician.

Originally posted by Cowke:...Anwar to make matters worse, edna adan lives in safety as christian among the hargeisa ppl. Noone blinks an eye-lid or even considers the shariah law.

 

That is sad.

that place can be called not muslim because they refuse to enforce the law of islam for the simple reason of tribal affiliation

.

 

Where-as Puntland will enforce the law on anyone who leaves islam, that is why ayan hersi can not live in puntland today. Which is the proper islamic way of doing things.

Be fare bro..Be fare

[Sherban Shabeel]

So how does the law work? Are you arrested if you try to convert people to Christianity, or do you get arrested just for being a Christian?

[Peacenow]

Let's see now what the breakaway's provinces friends in the west will say to this. One step backwards.

[Qudhac]

THIS IS WHAT THE FAMOUS DAUGHTER OF PUNTLAND THINKS ABOUT OUR RELIGIONS.

 

 

The movie was written and conceived by a 35-year-old Muslim woman, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a member of the Dutch parliament, and a relentless critic of the way Islam treats women.

 

The movie, "Submission," was directed by Holland's most controversial film maker, Theo Van Gogh, a descendant of the painter Vincent Van Gogh, and a national gadfly, who made a career insulting everyone, no matter their faith, race or gender.

 

In one image, the opening lines of the holy book, the Koran, were written across the naked body of a Muslim woman. Another image showed Koranic verses about female obedience scrawled on the back of a woman beaten by her husband, while a female voice accused Allah of condoning the violence.

 

 

"Surely that must have been a gross insult to devout Muslims, to see those pictures," says Safer, of the images that appear in "Submission."

 

"It depends," says Hirsi Ali. "If you're a Muslim woman and you read the Koran, and you read in there that you should be raped if you say 'no' to your husband, that is offensive. And that is insulting."

 

Such provocative interpretations of the Koran have made Hirsi Ali a lot of enemies among radical Muslims. She lives in hiding with round-the-clock security. But she gave 60 Minutes an exclusive interview in a room in the Dutch parliament.

 

In the past, Hirsi Ali has called the prophet Mohammed a "perverted tyrant." She remarks, "he has said a few things that are not compatible with democracy." She has also called a part of the Koran "a license for oppression."

[Che -Guevara]

^What does her beliefs get to do with Puntland?

[nuune]

Adaa christian ah iyo mayee adigaa ah miyaa hada la isku ceenayaa oo mindida la iskugu afeesanayaa, cajiib

[Qudhac]

because she is from puntland just as like this man in jail is from somalialnd and there are these indiduals all over the place

[Che -Guevara]

^She doesn't represent anyone unless you are saying he's MJ and simply playing qabiil political scorepointing.

 

 

LoooooL@Nuune.

 

 

N who cares what Adna is?

[UZTAAD]

I never heard that Adne adan is christian but it is Strange how she became the external affairs minister of that state where the poplution 100% muslim.