By: Latifa Yusuf Mohamed
QORYAALE (Somalilandsun) – The government shall not allow anyone to barricade parts of any communal grazing areas anywhere in the Republic of Somaliland.
This was stated by the Director General-DG at the Somaliland ministry of Environment Mohamed Farah Hirsi during a visit to the Qoryaale plains that straddle Toghdeer, Sool and Sanaag regions in the east of the country
“The government of President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo through the ministry of Environment and Rural Development-ME&RD shall not allow your livestock to go hungry because somebody fenced some parts of communal grazing areas” the DG told residents of Qoryaale.
Assuring of full government support towards equal rights for all pastoralists in the country the DG Informed that his visit emanate from complaints of individuals fencing off parts of the Qoryaale plains submitted to ME&RD headquarters in Hargeisa by area residents.
Said “Am here to ensure that government policy on communal grazing areas is enforced thence equal access by all pastoralists and their livestock”
According to Journalists Feisal Hiis Weerar ‘Afgaab’ the Sprawling Qoryaale plains that straddles three regions in the east of the country is a communally owned grazing area utilized by thousands of citizens who migrate from their respective regions on seasonal basis.
The action taken by ME&RD and subsequent assurances of protection against individuals taking parts of public land for personal use has been welcomed by all quarters nationwide following the increase in similar incidents nationwide by some wealthy people thus disfranchising the poor.
