By Guled Abdi Mahir
SomalilandSun –The Ministry of Justice has called for a special session to discuss the plight of mental patients languishing in kangaroo prisons established by some greedy people to fleece the unsuspecting public. According to Somaliland’s justice department these squalor establishments have no legal documents to set shop and most of the time operate illegally.
During the session which was occationed by international human right organizations and local NGOs was chaired by the state minister of Justice Mr. Khadar Ahmed Diriye.
The meeting which was held at the Ministry of Justice headquarter where twelve local and International NGOs participated in the symposium.
The state minister stated the importance of regulating this privately owned mental clinics mushrooming like wildfire.He also suggested that a committee be created to veto and look into the quality of the medication they offer and their legality so that they do not compromise the human right of the mentally retarded people.
Mr.Khadar confirmed that some inmates fall sick in penitentiary and need special medical care so he urged international and local human rights organization to help in their treatment.He requested this organization to come up with development agenda for Somaliland.
Meanwhile the Director General in the Justice ministry Mr.Jama Ahmed Abdirahman
said that such meeting are beneficial because stakeholder exchange and share knowledge and information. He urged the international and local organizations to work with the government to to improve the correctional facilities.
Also speaking at the conference was the deputy custodial corps commander Brigadier General Hassan Ali Awad confirmed that in all prisons around the country there are more than a hundred mental patients of which most are accused of murder and are waiting for their fates. He stressed the need for these convicts to receive proper care in terms of medication and General wellbeing.
