By:Guled Abdi Mahir
Somalilandsun – Anybody using Somalia passports presumably issued in Hargeisa shall not be allowed entry into Somaliland.
This was confirmed by the Minister of Internal Security Mr.Yassin Mahmud Hiir (Faraton) and his Aviation counterpart Mr.Farhan Adan Haibe in a joint press conference held at the Ministry of Interior headquarters in Hargeisa where they also announced that state was renewing the previous order banning the issuance of Somalia’s passport inside Somaliland.
The Ministers whose dockets share the responsibility to enforce the rule were were flanked by the immigration boss. All government departments that are concerned with the matter were ordered to enforce with delay.
The Ministers agreed that from now henceforth:
1.Somalia passport could not be used as a travel document within Somaliland government jurisdiction backdated to 1st January 2017.
2.All airlines and travel agency should not issue tickets to Somalia’s passport holders more so those issued in Hargeisa and
3.All immigration and security officers should not allow anyone to enter or leave the country using the Somali passport.
Highlighting the importance of this decree mInister Faratoon said “ In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful I have in my company my colleague at the Aviation ministry,the Commissioner of Police and the Immigration Chief so that we could remove the smog pertaining the use of Somalia’s passport and Issuance inside Somaliland.”
Also speaking at the venue was the Aviation minister Mr.Farhan who emphasized the importance of Somaliland nationals traveling with their country’s passport. The minister said that people with foreign passport such as American,Djiboutian or Ethiopian will be exempted from the ban.
He urged clerics who take people for pilgrimage in Mecca to start to organize their client to apply for the Somaliland passport. He also warned those unscrupulous travel agent issuing the Somalia’s passport that they will be prosecuted.
According to the constitution of Somaliland it’s neighbour Somalia is a foreign country thence only the Mogadishu based Federal government has the authority to issue travel documents to its nationals just as the Hargeisa based government’s responsibility as pertains the Somaliland passport.
Though Somaliland remains unrecognized internationally 25 years since withdrawing from its 1960 voluntary later turned fateful union with Somalia, the government in Hargeisa maintains all relevant protocols of a fully fledged nation including issuance of travel documents and national identity cards.
watch
Joint briefing by Somaliland interior and Aviation ministers
