By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – An office dealing with HIV/Aids established by the International Office of Migration-IOM has in Hargeisa has been closed.
The closure came after intense police investigations pursuant to claims of IOM promoting immoral conduct through its HIV/Aids office.
The Saga started on 1st December last year during the world Aids day when the IOM distributed placards with messages promoting the use of condoms as the best method of protection against HIV/Aids virus infection.
The banned office was also reported to have stocked IOM imported condoms and contraceptives contrary to the laws of the republic of Somaliland which is basically an Islamic country.
While the authorities are yet to comment on the closure our attempts to elicit facts from IOM came to naught after the body’s top honcho in Hargeisa Dr. Samir Hadjiabduli refused to give us an interview or information pertaining to the shutting down of the HIV/Aids office.
We hope that Dr Hadjiabduli will be kind enough to verify accusations that apart from the closed IOM office dealing with HIV/Aids distributing condoms left and right it has been promoting commercial sex workers
Having refused to respond to our request for an interview maybe he, Dr Samir shall accommodate the same to our readers who can contact him via Email: shadjiabduli@iom.int
While not attributing it to IOM the country and especially the capital city Hargeisa has seen an increased in immoral conduct to the extent of prompting president Silanyo to appoint a high level ministerial committee to deal with immoralities.
Meanwhile it is worth mentioning that this is the first time for IOM to be found in an awkward situation since establishing its activities in Somaliland where apart from HIV/Aids the UN body is involved in Immigration, anti-Tahrib, Refugees and IDPs projects not to forget its sub contract from DAI of the institutional Stabilization program under multi-million dollar funding from USAID.
