NGONGE Posted December 4, 2012 Somaliland: Kidnapping and Disappearance HRLHA Appeal and Urgent Action December 01, 2012. To: President of the Republic of Somaliland Your Excellency President Ahmed M. Mohamoud Silanyo Somaliland1991@gmail.com TEL/FAX: 252-225-3871 . Your Excellency, The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) is highly concerned about the safety and whereabouts of Mrs. Riyan Abdurahman Yusuf, an Oromo national refuge from Ethiopian who was kidnapped from her residence in Hargiesa, Somaliland on the 23rd of November, 2012 at around 6:00 PM. Mrs. Riyan Abdurahman Yusuf Mrs. Riyan Abdurahman Yusuf, with UNHCR Case Number: 758:08C00303, was kidnapped at the time and date mentioned above by what were said to have been members of Somaliland security forces. Apart from refugee life, Mrs. Riyan Abdurahman was engaged in teaching kids, most of whom are refugees, along with her brother named Mr. Bahar Abdurahman at a school called Sh. Madar in Hargiesa. There has been no any official or confirmed report as to where Mrs. Riyan Abdurahman could have been ever since she was kidnapped. But, according to some rumours, Mrs. Riyan is being held at a jail in Jigjiga, in the ****** Reginal State in Ethiopian. As it has been the case in the past, the implication is that Mrs. Riyan is also handed over to the Ethiopian Government by the government of the Somaliland against refugee protections convention 1951 put in place in various relevant international documents. Mrs. Riyan’s father, Mr. Abdurahman Yusuf, was himself one of the victims of such actions that violent international agreements jointly committed by the governments of Ethiopia and Somaliland. Under Article 33 (1) of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (189 U.N.T.S. 150), “[n]o contracting state shall expel or forcibly return a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his . . . political opinion.” In case Mrs. Riyan Abdurahman is to be deported to Ethiopia, the Ethiopian government has a well-documented record of gross and flagrant violations of human rights, including the torturing of its own citizens who were involuntarily returned to the country. The government of Ethiopia routinely imprisons such persons. There have been credible reports of physical and psychological abuses committed against individuals in Ethiopian prisons and other secret places of detention. This obligation, which is also a principle of customary international law, applies to both asylum seekers and refugees, as affirmed by UNHCR’s Executive Committee and the United Nations General Assembly. By deporting Mrs, Riyan and others, the Somaliland government will be breaching its obligations under international treaties as well as customary law. Under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1465 U.N.T.S. 185) Somaliland has an obligation not to return a person to a place where they face torture or ill-treatment. Article 3 of the Convention against Torture provides: 1. No state party shall expel, return (“refouler”) or extradite a person to another state where there are substantial grounds to believe that they would be in danger of being subjected to torture. 2. For the purpose of determining whether there are such grounds, the competent authorities shall take into account all relevant considerations including, where applicable, the existence in the state concerned of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights. We strongly urge the Government of Somaliland to respect these international treaties and obligations. Therefore, the Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) strongly demands the unconditional release of Mrs. Riyan Abdurahman from wherever she is currently being held at; and calls up on both the Ethiopian and the Somaliland governments to ensure Mrs. Riyan’s freedom from detention. HRLHA also calls up on all local, regional and international human rights, refugee as well as diplomatic agencies to put pressure on the two governments to first disclose Mrs. Riyan’s whereabouts and then immediately release her from detention. Recommendation: v RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to the Somaliland Government using the above address, concerned Somaliland officials and to diplomatic representatives of Somaliland who are accredited to your country as swiftly as possible, in English, Somali Language, or your own language expressing: v To disclose whereabouts of Mrs.Riyan Abdurrahman Yusuf v Your concern regarding the apprehension and fear of torture of Mrs. Riyan Abdurahman Yusuf who is being held in unknown detention centers; and calling for her immediate and unconditional release; v urging the Somaliland authorities to ensure that she would be treated in accordance with the regional and international standards on the treatment of prisoners, v Abide to the International Conventions of the refugees and asylum seekers not to return a person to a place where they face torture or ill-treatment. http://humanrightsleague.com/2012/12/somaliland-kidnapping-and-disappearance/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Che -Guevara Posted December 4, 2012 Nothin new. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ibtisam Posted December 4, 2012 ^^^^Missed the point there. As a none recognised State- I very much doubt they have ever signed any treaty about anything nor can it be breaching its obligations under international treaties since it does not exist in the legal sense. I might be wrong- one president or another probably thought it was a good look to sign all treaties to proof what a good well behaved "country" deserving of recognition Somaliland is Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpha Blondy Posted December 4, 2012 *Ibtisam;895762 wrote: ^^^^Missed the point there. As a none recognised State- I very much doubt they have ever signed any treaty about anything nor can it be breaching its obligations under international treaties since it does not exist in the legal sense. I might be wrong- one president or another probably thought it was a good look to sign all treaties to proof what a good well behaved "country" deserving of recognition Somaliland is continue with the make-up, the abaaya's and who's dating who and leave the real stuff to those who are aware of such things and who have the necessary expertises on these issues. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpha Blondy Posted December 4, 2012 NGONGE;895756 wrote: i know oromos very well and where they congregate around hargeisa.i think, i may have seen ms/mrs riyan LOL! i often feed them like the way i use to feed pigeons in my home town of london. anyways, ms.riyan is not difficult to locate. why go to such extreme lengths in locating her. all you have to do is wave 500SLSH note and shout '''oh riyan......oh riyan'' x3 and she'll come running out....LOL. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xaaji Xunjuf Posted December 4, 2012 What do these Ethiopians want from us go back to Oromia. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Che -Guevara Posted December 4, 2012 lol@Ibti, convenient loophole eh. XX...Don't be xenophobic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpha Blondy Posted December 4, 2012 Apophis;895769 wrote: You do realise this excludes you by a mile right?? which bit? the expertises or the womanly stuff? LOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ibtisam Posted December 4, 2012 This is not the marfash ciyaalo- feel free to comment or keep it moving. As the local gossip queen eer I mean farax you probably spend more time discussing make-up and waxaad aad sheegisiid. :cool: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpha Blondy Posted December 4, 2012 *Ibtisam;895780 wrote: This is not the marfash ciyaalo- feel free to comment or keep it moving. As the local gossip queen eer I mean farax you probably spend more time discussing make-up and waxaad aad sheegisiid. :cool: you're already aware of my favourite shiny suit. i'm thinking of going away for a weekend retreat IBZ to gacan libaax. do you want to come along. i know i objected to you bringing your oromo toy-boy last time but maybe i can bring riyan along this time. that's a double date to me and you! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ibtisam Posted December 4, 2012 Deluded as usual- warya you chat up lines are lame, you have the whole attack, amuse, humour, attack sequence wrong. Blinding shinning suit, dacas and green leaf and gacan liibaax sounds like suicide. It is the wrong season baadow- you will freeze to death. IF you dont know- now you know- you can thank me later for my kindness in telling you. Che- they can't have it both ways. Either it has the responsibilities of a recognised state, or it does not. That is my regular debate with my IOM friends when they complain about the conditions of refugees in Somaliland and no welfare for them. I am like "WHAT?" lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ibtisam Posted December 4, 2012 Deluded as usual- warya you chat up lines are lame, you have the whole attack, amuse, humour, attack sequence wrong. Blinding shinning suit, dacas and green leaf and gacan liibaax sounds like suicide. It is the wrong season baadow- you will freeze to death. IF you dont know- now you know- you can thank me later for my kindness in telling you. Che- they can't have it both ways. Either it has the responsibilities of a recognised state, or it does not. That is my regular debate with my IOM friends when they complain about the conditions of refugees in Somaliland and no welfare for them. I am like "WHAT?" lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xaaji Xunjuf Posted December 4, 2012 Let them go back to Adama Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpha Blondy Posted December 4, 2012 *Ibtisam;895785 wrote: Deluded as usual- warya you chat up lines are lame, you have the whole attack, amuse, humour, attack sequence wrong. Blinding shinning suit, dacas and green leaf and gacan liibaax sounds like suicide. It is the wrong season baadow- you will freeze to death. IF you dont know- now you know- you can thank me later for my kindness in telling you. sound expertise advice there IBZ! this sequence? how does it go? and in which order? baal noo sheeg dee! i was hoping you'd agree to come along to this retreat so i can bury you in one those mountains LOL. anyways who wants to go along with you on a no-thrills cheap holiday retreat to the miyi and areas not patrolled by my clan. not to mention that it would be like going with the health and safety executive. imagine the outrage you'd cause when you say stuff like ''that's dangerous'', ''that's not safe'', ''don't drink that, its not purified nor is it maaxda!'' LOOOOOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpha Blondy Posted December 4, 2012 Apophis;895792 wrote: IF you dont know- now you know are you quoting Biggie's Juicy? :D she probably grow-up on that vile music! :P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites